Hot Blood, Cold Sweat, Bitter Tears
by Last Harlequin
Summary: A child bears a burden he should never have to bear, another a responsibility that will crush him, and a girl without a future seeks a dream worth dying for. AU, A near compete rewrite of the Naruto world, a bit darker. Heavy AU, based on the first few chapters and then leaving everything else behind.
1. Graduation

Quiet is golden. Amongst Ninja, Silence is expected. However, any classroom holding one Uzumaki Naruto, silence is extremely suspicious. Iruka paused chalk in hand with fingers poised above the tora he'd just written. This discussion of seals is usually where he'd expect to hear whispers, some shuffling, the sliding of paper, and the occasional sound of notes being taken. His pause did not go unnoticed, there was an energy in the room that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. Something was coming. He decided to bait it.

"Sakura!" he called and he heard a jump, she recovered very quickly it was admirable, really. Her voice had just a twinge of embarrassment, a little fear, and some eagerness. Almost normal but something was still off. "What would I get by adding this Tora?" he said tapping his chalk on the board as he was about to explain. If anyone had read ahead it was her, so he thought it a safe bet she would know.

"Uh…. I think it would make the explosion burn rather than just explode…. Right?" she says then backtracks just a bit timidly. He sighs internally. "Good job, Sakura." He said and starts to turn around

"Can anyone el~" he noticed only too late the tripwire he had touched just behind his heel. He closed his eyes. There was only one person who could pull off something like this, and it wouldn't be anything truly dangerous. He was rewarded with a great burst of sound and a whoosh of powder. He slowly blinked his eyes open and took in thirteen pairs of eyes staring owlishly at him before Inuzuka Kiba broke the dam by laughing, the entire class was in uproar. Iruka sighed and looked down at his now pink uniform coat and could feel that it was all over his face and hair as well, the blast was centered just in front of him, it had taken some really careful ninja wire work to get the blast directed and the line taught enough where he would not be able to stop it. It was real A+ work…. If only the one who had done it would apply this kind of effort to his studies.

"UZUMAKI NARUTO!" He roared and a sheepish tuft of blonde hair rose up from behind the desk he shared with Shino less than three meters away. He'd never even heard him leave his seat. The boy was short, with a smile that stretched nearly ear to ear. There was never a day that went by that the boy was unmentioned for his prolific stream of mayhem and public delinquency. Iruka had heard of some of those pranks and shuddered to think not only the planning but the damage that had been done to those who would call him enemy.

Looking at the sheepish, but proud smile on the boy softened his next words as he sighed. "Stay after class. The rest of you, get out of here!" he said with a sweep of his arm. There was a mad scramble to get out of the classroom. Few would say it, but Naruto really was a certain kind of popular, even if nobody would share a bento with him…. Well, almost nobody. He certainly didn't have anyone he would call friend.

Once everyone had left Iruka sighed and put his hands on his hips looking at the young boy blithely kicking his legs sitting on top of a table, seemingly without a care in the world.

"Neh Iruka-Sensei, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?" he asks innocently. Iruka put a hand on top of his own head and looked down at himself. "What do you think I want to talk to you about Naruto?" He asks and the kid's smile becomes positively vulpine. "How I'm such a good student you're going to pass me and let me be Genin?" he asks so sweetly it gave Iruka a toothache just hearing it. "Er… No." he says lamely then puts on a stern face. "You're going to clean up the mess you made!" he says pointing to the silhouette of pink that had been left and the marks on the ceiling from where the dust plumed. "You know where the cleaning supplies are by now." he says sternly and Naruto pouts. "Ey! Iruka-Sensei I didn't even do that!" he says crossly with an exaggerated frown pulling at his bottom lip. "Naruto, nobody else in class, Not Sasuke, Not Kiba, is going to try something like this, in the middle of class no less." He says and the pout turns into a fierce little smirk. "I will slap the smirk right off your face Naruto if you don't GET THOSE CLEANING SUPPLIES!" he shouts pointing at the door, Naruto jumps up and scurries out of the room nearly slamming into the outside wall in his haste to go down the hallway.

"I swear that kid." he stands there and then reaches into a pocket of his vest to pull out a rag to wipe his face. He pulls the cloth away and frowns at the pristine white cloth with only a stripe in the shape of his hitai-ate. He rewipes his face, really scrubbing at it and only gets the faintest pink sheen. The enormity of what this means takes a full five seconds to sink in. His next words shake the walls with their fury, "NA~RU~TO!" the peals of laughter echoing off the walls.

Naruto went home at dark that day, returning to his apartment in the disused block, his only neighbors at the other end of the building had never so much as said good morning. He came in his front door, checking the tamper seal, then disabling both tripwires and heading in to his swirling mess of a living space. It was small, but he'd heavily modified it, without permission, because from an early age he had been taught one lesson, if nobody knows, nobody cares. For now he had installed far more shelving than most people would ever consider practical, it was loaded with all kinds of things, from dried foodstuffs, to water jugs, to every sort of container imaginable filled with all manner of…. "Goodies". Naruto smiled up at his collection, it brought happiness to his heart to look back on past works, all of these things remnants of one caper or another. He liked to think of it as training.

After all, missions couldn't be too much different from what he had to go through to get half these things done. Like that time he'd defaced the Hokage Monument and it had taken four and a half hours before he let Iruka-Sensei catch him in the middle of the street. The smile that alighted on Naruto's young face was beatific, remembering that chase. But today he didn't have time for that, he had to practice things he was bad at. Tomorrow was the big day, his big chance, he just had to get everything to come together, like he had so many times. Each hand sign flowed smoothly, one then the next then the next. He ran through them four times, just to make sure that he had it right, referencing his notes. He pushed chakra at the end and with a puff he looked at himself in the mirror.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked back. He got close to the mirror and scrutinized it carefully. Grandpa Hokage had always been good to him. When he was little he had practically taken him in. Naruto took a moment to fondly smile at the memory of more or less having the run of the Hokage's tower. The smile in the mirror startled him and he realized he knew the look. Well, at least the old man had good memories to look back on too. But the grin on Naruto-Hiruzen's face turned positively vulpine as he vanished in a puff back to his considerably shorter stature. Transformation he had down. That much was for sure.

Second, he went back to his notes and read carefully. This is the one that he always messed up. He ran through the seals four times and pushed as much chakra as the technique would take and with a flash of concealing smoke the clone standing beside him was off color, strangely misshapen and seemed almost elastic as it tried to mimic him. He threw up his hands and screamed. What followed was a flurry of activity between the creation of useless clones with increasingly odd deformities he cleaned his floor, made dinner, washed his toilet, and made his bed for the first time in a week.

But still the clones came out wrong, there was something wrong with the technique. He couldn't work it out, it was his ultimate enemy, no matter how much power he put into it it always came out wrong, odd, oversized or sometimes even glowing. That was when he Really tried. His kunai throwing was accurate to eight meters… well good enough at eight meters, same with his shuriken. His wirework was beyond reproach. Nobody would question his skill with that. He bucked in, strapped on his determination headband and started studying for the rest of the test. Most of it was boring garbage, but history and sealing were just the most interesting things, even if they didn't learn anything about sealing really, just some theory. He hoped he got a Jonin-Sensei who was good at sealing so he could learn some. He went to bed that night filled with hope, and a germ of desperate wishing.

_

There is nothing quite as bitter, quite as heavy as failure. Especially when you are so very, very perilously close to success. Two clones, not even just one but two clones for the test and both of them had been so close. If only his hair were longer and face a little wider they might have been mistaken for him.

He sat on the swing set. Staring out at the others running home, or walking with purpose in the case of the more restrained. A few even paused to look his way, with looks ranging from derision (Sasuke, of course), to disappointment, or even just the empty eye of the little blind Hyuuga girl, she looked the longest with her empty white eyes, unseeing but he knew she was looking at him. Even she eventually turned and walked away, unwilling to say a word to the loser. He was so upset that he didn't even hear the sandaled steps until they were right beside him. "Well, That could have gone better, eh, Uzumaki?" a familiar voice asked, and he looked up to see Mizuki, Taijutsu instructor amongst a few other things Iruka-nee didn't teach.

"...yeah." was all he could muster and this seemed to bother Mizuki a bit he adjusted his stance and took a deep breath, "You know. There is still a chance." Mizuki said quietly his mouth almost not moving, but Naruto's ears twitched and he looked up sharply. "Really!?" naruto hissed, disbelieving.

Though never as bad as some others Mizuki had definitely given cause to Naruto to not trust him entirely. The blond remembered well times when the instructor had used his position to treat Naruto unfairly. But desperation is an unkind mistress. "Yes, I'd hate to see your talent go to waste, so I had a talk with some others and we've decided on a slightly harder test, but one that doesn't require the clone jutsu." Mizuki said softly.

"We wanted to wait to talk to you about it, because we didn't want to be accused of favoritism." Naruto's eyes closed back to slits of comprehension.

"I see." Naruto said with a sharp nod. Mizuki's smirk was sharp. "Good, you always were quick enough on the uptake." he said and knelt down. "So here's the test…." and then Mizuki began drawing in the dirt with a finger. Naruto's eyes went wide as the ambition of it unfolded. He smiled, this was a real test of his skills, the place he shined.

It was not full dark, but evening, when the lighting was just worse than people might think enough light to relax but enough shadow to move. He slipped through the streets with long practice being unseen and unnoticed. One amongst dozens, transforming, shifting, disguised. Slipping into the Hokage's tower was easy enough. Mizuki had said this was the hardest part and it would be for someone who hadn't practically lived here as a child.

It was a place of habit and routine. That was what people seldom seemed to get, as long as things pretended to be as you already expected them to be, they wouldn't question small things. No one could maintain sufficient suspicion all the time, it was too exhausting. There were always holes. And Naruto Uzumaki walked through holes like a mouse.

Only one man would be a problem, the Hokage himself. Mizuki told him that he had been alerted to the task and would be looking for him. Naruto smiled to himself as he walked back out the door with a large bag of what looked to be trash in the guise of a civilian. He walked out to the opposite side of the village to his home. Picking a small wooded training ground near where he was supposed to meet Mizuki, that grew far darker than many and erected his little blind into the form of a bush and opened the scroll expecting a cheeky message.

His face fell, and his eyes widened as he looked at the scroll in front of him. This was not some prize for a child. This was Advanced, as his eyes read and figured he saw what he had in his hands. This was not something he should not be holding. He read on hoping somewhere in his young mind he'd misunderstood. But no. No this was not right. He however paused and began copying, knowing the opportunity would never come again, producing a scroll all his own and moving quickly. He had a new mission. To uncover a traitor even as he took his prize.

_

"Ah, Naruto! Good to see you have made it!" Mizuki said stepping from concealment high in the trees. Looking down on the little orange demon standing with the scroll in his arms and the widest grin he'd ever seen "I got it Mizuki Sensei! This means I pass right!?" He said setting it on end to pose dramatically.

Mizuki nodded. "Yep! You little fox demon, as long as nobody caught you." he said an edge filtering into his voice. Naruto's smile dimmed a little bit. "No! Nobody caught me, not even Anbu catch me unless they're really trying!" he said perking back up.

"Good! Now just hand over the scroll and I've got a headband for you for tomorrow. Imagine the shock on your classmate's faces!" he said with a somewhat strained laugh.

"Neh, calling me a demon is a little harsh don't you think?" Naruto asked giving Mizuki a pout as the instructor hopped down from his tree and walked toward Naruto. "Hardly. After all…" he said laying a hand on the scroll and looking Naruto in the eye. "You are one, arn't you?" Naruto didn't flinch, but his eyes widened fractionally.

"You know Mizuki-san… I might have broken your rule a little." Naruto said getting a sheepishly, mischievous smile recovering quickly. Mizuki huffed, "What are you talking about." He said as Naruto cowered a little at the sudden spike of killing intent. "W-well… I didn't get caught…. But…." Mizuki's anger began to bubble as his hand slipped toward his waist. "What are you talking about, if you didn't get caught you pass the test. If you did, you fail!" And the grin returned to the little Uzumaki, different, darker. The blue of his eyes less like a clean river and more like the color of Chakra expressed. "See, I read a little of the scroll… and it didn't look like any academy scroll I'd ever seen..." and Mizuki started moving, the kunai in his hand and headed toward the child even as he felt a hand close on his wrist and the subtle pop of appearance. He looked up seeing four masked Anbu surrounding him. "See… I didn't get caught, but i might have tattled a little…" Naruto said with a smile, no, smiles show pleasure, this showed teeth.

That was the last anyone in the village saw of Mizuki-sensei. His post was absent for five weeks before someone was found to fill it. It was a minor inconvenience, but not so great of one.

_

Naruto was in the Hokage's office with two Anbu standing behind him, guards. His forehead was pressed to the smooth wood of the office as the gentle smell of tobacco wafted to his nose, the sound of shifting papers and the subtle noises of shifting fabric. Naruto felt warm nostalgia he had to ruthlessly crush. This was not him being told to stop doing pranks, or to apologize.

"You do realize that you must be punished for this, even if it was you who uncovered the plot." Sarutobi Hiruzen, Fifth Hokage of Konohagakure no sato said softly, with great weight in his voice.

Naruto considered many answers, he considered pleading, he held back his tears though, no matter how much the disappointment and sorrow in his grandfather's voice hung heavy. Naruto kept his posture of submission and after considering spoke softly.

"I understand Hokage, please accept my deepest apology." He said with his face pressed into the wood. The Hokage took a deep draw of his pipe and let it out slowly. "Naruto, raise your head." he did, but only a little to look up at the man who was both his leader and he felt an attachment to like a grandfather. With something like hope in his eyes he sat back, still on his knees.

"You have done a great service to the Village, uncovering not only a traitor, but a traitor in the academy I founded and spent so long scrutinizing. And for this you should be rewarded."

"Jiji?" he asked in a voice barely a whisper, not daring to say more. The Hokage stood quietly and stepped around his desk. "Naruto, I want you to do something for me." he said motioning with one hand for him to stand. The young boy scrambled to comply standing hands at his sides, serious for once in his life. "Yes, Sir!" he practically shouted in a broken voice. "Perform for me the clone technique, do it as slowly as possible, delay each step as much as you can." he said setting aside his pipe and crossing his hands giving naruto his full attention. Naruto did as his grandfather asked performing each hand sign crisply and then channeling all the chakra he could manage into the technique, putting his all into it to the point where the room glowed blue a moment before the clone appeared beside him, sickly, pallid and shimmering pale blue like an aura before vanishing in a wash of smoke. Naruto hung his head in shame. But rather than sigh Hiruzen started to laugh, a dry chuckle that turned into a full blown guffaw that made naruto want to sink into the floor his body slowly sinking under the weight of his grandfather's derision.

"To think!" the Hokage started and then Naruto felt a hand on his shoulder. "Do not feel so down my boy." he said and naruto's head snapped up with tears in his eyes, yet unshed. At the mirth dancing in the Hokage's eyes and the toothy smile he was seeing so at odds, but he saw not malice. He was not being laughed at… but with, his face must have screwed up in confusion as the Hokage laughed again, but cleared his throat. "Naruto, I want you to try the technique again. This time I want you to focus on on one clone, but three Hundred." The hokage said as he walked back to his desk and pulled open a drawer before waiting with his hands folded on the desk before him. "O-okay." Naruto stuttered as he performed the technique slowly, playing out each step and then focused on creating the legion, again the pale blue glow rose for a moment then the shimmering took up the whole of the room, then the rafters, the windowsills, and outside the windows. Three hundred odd Narutos, perfectly formed, all looked sharply forward with serious expressions quietly waiting for direction for only a moment as Naruto's mouth fell open and he sagged, dumbfounded. "B-b-b-but!? Why!?" He screamed and fell to his knees. Then he heard the Hokage begin to laugh, really laugh, his face turning red with mirth.

"Oh…. I have not been so entertained since you put that kick-me sign on the back of Hisashi Hyuuga." Naruto colored a deep crimson, he remembered the Very tense apology session he had needed to commit for that one. "JIJI!" he declared snapping to his feet, "What happened!? Why did it work!?" he yelled in desperate fury. The Hokage held up a hand and motioned toward the wall and a chalkboard rolled toward him seemingly of its own accord.

"Naruto, what do you know of Chakra Theory?" He asked softly as Naruto bumbled through a holey version of what is taught in the academy with some unexpected insights but he missed the point Sarutobi was going for so he raised a hand to pause the young man and cleared his throat.

"When a technique is conceived…" the Hokage began a piece of chalk in his hand as he began writing. "It is designed with limits and an expected power to be used with, now I will skip the complexities, but it is possible to try to put Too Much power into a technique, doing so will have various effects, but for the more delicate arts it will often cause them to fail. The clone technique is taxing for a child, or, rather, a normal child." the Hokage said sadly and then started drawing something else. "I suppose it is time we had this discussion." he said with a heaviness that made naruto wary. "What discussion, Hokage-sama?" he asked politely, as the fifth looked at the board drawing a familiar seal, sone naruto had seen on his own belly in the mirror more than once. "In a moment, let me finish one lesson at a time." Hiruzen said softly. "Chakra is difficult to manipulate and most people have very little of it to work with. I am suspecting that most of the control techniques taught by the academy did not work terribly well for you?" He glanced back to catch the nod and then nodded as well.

"That is because they are about teaching people with only a tiny cloud of chakra to squeeze a few drops of rain from it." he said as he drew with deft strokes, a few clouds and a light drizzle. Like the summer cloud of Konoha. "Yours however is a Thunderhead. if you do as they do, squeezing and straining, you will let forth a monsoon, rather than a drizzle. Do you understand? Good." he said catching another nod. "You must be taught restraint, as most who have reserves like yours are deep into their career and develop their control early." Naruto's face scrunched up and he looked up at Sarutobi who waited patiently, seeing the question forming. It was a few long moments. "Eh… Jiji, why do I have so much Chakra...?" Naruto was interrupted by the quiet marking of a familiar seal on the chalkboard, something he'd seen himself on his own navel when he tried to practice techniques in front of the mirror. He'd written it off when he found nothing about it in the textbooks he was allowed to access. But now he was more than curious. "This, Naruto, is why." he said slowly circling the seal. "It is a Seal. What is the purpose of Seals? Do you recall?" the Hokage asked gently. Naruto knew this though and responded immediately, "Storage with intent!" he said happily and the Hokage smiled at him warmly

"good, you were paying attention. Storage with Intent, we often store things away, tools, notes, even Chakra itself, but there is another kind of Seal, it may store living things." He said gravely and Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly in concentration. "What kind…" "for our purposes, the living energy of another. And with enough power, the physical manifestation as well." He said softly. "Your birthday, October the tenth. Do you recall what happened October the tenth twelve years ago?" he asked with great gravity, and then watched as Naruto's eyes went wide, then his hands went to his stomach, then looked like he was about to bolt as his eyes brimmed with unshed tears, he went green and teetered on his feet as his breath came in gasps, "I-it's inside me!?" he asked in a tiny squeak. "Yes. On the night of your birth, the Kyuubi no Kitsune was sealed into the body of a young child." Naruto fell to his knees. "That's…. Is that…?" he started and stopped staring at the floor as the tears began to fall, he could no longer hold it in, so great a secret, with such horrible consequence to him. He looked up and the Hokage was unsurprised to see the anger in the young man. "You knew! The village! They all…!" he said and the child thrashed looking back and forth as his hands clenched and unclenched.

"Yes. I knew. The fourth Hokage died creating that seal with his dying breath." Hiruzen said with a sigh and walked back to his desk to sit down with a small grunt and tap out his pipe idly sorting the scraps of tobacco from the ash as he repacked his pipe. "And the Hat fell back upon my head… You were meant to be a hero. The Fourth told me so. But I did not trust in his optimism about the people of this village." Naruto seemed to be getting himself under control. Though the usual glimmer of light in him was twinged the orange of fire. He listened, even now. It was endearing to know that his words were so important to the boy.

"I gathered all those who were near the heart of the fighting, who I believed saw the last moments of the battle. And I swore them to secrecy." he said with grim finality. "I wanted for you to live as just another orphan of the battle, and there were many. But sadly I must have missed someone." He said his jaw flexing as he ground his teeth.

"Some damned fool opened his mouth and word spread like wildfire. The Kyuubi was not dead, it possessed a child. A child with blonde hair." Hiruzen said as he relit the pipe and took a slow puff, then in a gesture that made even the Anbu still standing quietly behind Naruto jump slammed his hand on the table. "And may all the spirits of land and sea bear witness that I was Right! Hatred!" he pronounced in a voice that cowed even the righteous anger of Naruto and banished it like smoke.

"So I declared a Law! Written in anger perhaps, but a law most binding." the Hokage paused again to puff at his pipe in quiet as Naruto sat back on his feet, still on his knees on the floor. "That Any who spoke of the forbidden secret were to experience a most painful death." the Hokage pronounced darkly. And Naruto looked at the floor. "So, yes. I knew. I did everything in my power to let children be children, but sometimes it is not to be. Demons and War." There was a long time, where no one spoke. Naruto, too shocked by all he had just learned, and Hiruzen too trapped in regret and bitterness.

When his pipe finally burned out Sarutobi reached into the drawer he had opened and lifted something small that flashed in the darkness. "Naruto Uzumaki. By order of the Hokage, for passing your examination ex post facto, and for services rendered unto the village by uncovering a traitor in our midst. I promote you to Genin." He said laying the headband on the desk with a soft thunk. Naruto stood up and looked at it his mouth closed and the tears again threatening to fall. "If you still wish to serve this village, knowing what you now know." He added solemnly. Naruto hesitated, a riot of emotions poured across his face as he took the four short steps forward to pick up the Hitai-ite branded with the leaf and hold it to his chest. "No foolin'?" The boy asked and again Hiruzen smiled. "No foolin'." He replied.


	2. Team Seven

A/N: This is an AU, if you haven't caught on. It's a lot bigger than you may expect however. The series explored things like the origin of chakra and the history of the world in depth. I never really liked it. Past the Wave arc (Yes, the very first arc) I saw a pretty massive change in the tone and direction of the series, it almost felt like a different story entirely. But that pilot gripped me. It made me interested, even if what followed was a very typical shonen, apeing DBZ to a fairly large degree. Not a bad thing, but not what I was hoping for.

So you'll see in this story (should I ever have a spare hour to write more than a paragraph or two again) a different interpretation of the world. I can't promise it will be perfect, but I'm trying. If something seems strange or you don't understand what's up, drop me a review and I'll add it to the things I need to weasel in to explain the universe. Or if I can't, I'll just answer it, lol. For one, the Hokage actually is paying attention, we get told bunches about the Professor, Sarutobi Hiruzen. But he honestly doesn't have much to show for it in the manga that I can tell. I am writing him to more live up to his title.

So to Insanity's Prophet at least, hope this meets expectations. On with the show.

Misery is an easy thing to fall into. When you have chosen a path that your parents do not truly support, when you leave behind the known and push to something new. Poetic terms for joining the ninja academy as a civilian born. In her first week she knew no one, just hid behind her hair and did what she was good at, absorbing information like a sponge. It was within the first month that every question the instructors threw at her she could answer, if shakily. It was her one point of pride, but she could barely raise her hand for the dirty looks the other children gave her. It was easier to disappear into the crowd. It was a month before it happened.

"Hey! Why do you hide your face like that?" The little girl with the hair so blonde it was nearly white asked her after school as she trudged toward home. "What?" she asked quietly her head snapping up to the young girl standing with hands on her hips, sly smirk on her face. "I asked why your hair is in your face?" she asks bounding over. Sakura's mind produced a name to go with the face quickly, she'd tried to commit her classmates to memory. In case she ever got the confidence to approach one of them. "O-oh… I um, I don't.. Like…" she mumbles trailing off and looking down at her shoes as she feels soft fingers touch her face and run through her hair gently, to paralyzed by surprise to do anything for a long moment. As something gets tied to her head. "There! See? You have a pretty face." the other girl says hand on chin seriously considering, though she never quite loses that smirk. "Um, you're Yamanaka Ino, right?" Sakura asks her cheeks warming up. "Yup! That's me! Beautiful, skilled Ino!" she declares striking a glamorous pose with v for victory and a wink. Sakura can't help but giggle. "There! You can smile! Can't be friends with a girl who can't smile!" she declares clapping her hands together, bouncing back a step. Sakura looks up and smiles wider with a giggle. It was the beginning of something great for the little pink haired girl.

"Hey Pinkie! Got those noodle arms ready?" Sakura's stance held. But there was a tremble to her as she squared up against her opponent. He was a boy, not much larger than herself. It is one thing to know something, and another however to feel it. Right now she felt the mouse against a lion. Her hesitation cost her as he darted forward at Mizuki's word and she barely got her arms in the way of the kick that pushed her back. Even as she was trying to recover from that hit she was clipped by a punch that scraped her cheek. She backpedaled, reeling as another fist came in, she saw it, the opportunity she'd been hoping for he was just a little far away to be throwing the punch, he would have to overreach his balance to hit her. She started to pull back but realized already her reaction was too slow, as the fist caught her right in the chin and sent her, arms flailing, to land seat first on the ground with a wuff.

"Enough. Sakura, don't just let him wail on you. Stand up, again." Mizuki said sternly as the boy smirked and got back into stance. Sakura stood up, brushed off her red dress and wearily got back into stance.

"Begin!"

Sakura sat quietly in her seat to the right of Ino, the girl wearing makeup that wasn't even smudged after Taijutsu practice. Sakura's left eye was held closed, a small package of ice held against it with one hand as she doodled in her notebook idly. Ino had her shoulder turned away and was talking to whoever on the other side, Sakura couldn't see who without turning her head. She knew Ino was disappointed in her, she could read that much from her friend's decision to not say a word to her. To make matters worse, Sasuke had been right in front watching her get pummeled for four rounds. She managed to hit her opponent three good times…. For the dozen she accepted. Her Taijutsu wasn't very good. Her Ninjutsu was better! But she didn't have a clan to learn anything flashy, and her chakra reserves were… well, if chakra was water, she felt like a raindrop.

It had been growing, she'd been practicing at least a little every day. But it was hard. Very hard, when you were also expected to help in the shop when you got home. She didn't know how Ino did it. Found time for training and for gardening. It was a mystery, maybe she didn't need to sleep. Clan techniques were so cool, they knew so many secrets and tricks to make things better and easier than anything Sakura could make. She had to content herself with the Academy basics. That was all she had to lean on. Her Internal Technique was good as her External, but still limited by her pitiful supply of chakra.

She wouldn't let herself pout, but she really wanted to. She wanted to cry again, but that was best served for after dark, when she was alone. Her parents didn't want her to be Shinobi. She had picked the worst year to be in the academy, she had seven, Seven! Clan children in her class. And they dominated the class rankings… well, almost all of them, none of them could keep up with her in academics; math, history, language, these were places Sakura was top. She had been around numbers all her life! Too bad what that really said was she would be better in her parents shop than in the ranks of Ninja.

She pushed the ice into her black eye until it hurt, stifling the tears that threatened to fall. She reached a hand up and pulled off her head scarf, it was stiflingly hot suddenly. She'd realized early on that Pink wasn't the best color to show off in class. It was Sasuke who had taught her that, He'd taken one look at her and frowned, scowled even. Funny when you love and idolize someone how much their smallest gesture matters to you. She was smart enough to know it was probably just a crush, but for three years she's pined quietly from a distance. She'd seen how Sasuke looked at the other girls who bothered him, she'd gotten the message even if they chose not to even Ino seemed to ignore his hints. She'd heard a lot of insults about her hair over the years, but the look of raw disapproval in his handsome, classically pretty features cemented it. She'd started covering her head after that, tying her hair up in a bun at the back of her head with a nuetrally colored scarf over it. That with her dark red dress, like burgundy, she was a lot less eye catching than she had been in her first year. It had shocked Ino, but the class had become easier on her. When her difference to them wasn't staring them in the face, they ignored her more and she had more room to grow. It was a hit to her, admittedly somewhat fragile, self-esteem however it was worth it. Sasuke had seen it and subtly nodded. His approval, the Genius of their class, the prodigy had approved of it. It had been an argument with Ino that had escalated to shouting, but Sakura had held firm against her first friend. It hurt, and it had driven a wedge between them that was widening as they both pined after the same boy.

Ino had built so much of her up. For her first four years Ino had pushed her to grow, had taught her to stretch herself more and more. It was only in the last year that things had gotten…. Strained. They'd both changed. It was a little at a time kind of thing. Ino had gotten taller, her hips and chest had filled out. She had tone and poise, like a forest cat. When she looked at herself, Sakura could admit, she was all lean muscle and bone. Her baby fat was all gone and she'd shot up nearly fifteen centimeters before she just stopped. She was almost as tall as her mom, but she'd stayed plain her hair color aside. Her hips were relatively narrow, her chest was nothing remarkable. Her mother insisted she was a late bloomer, but Sakura was suspicious. Puberty was what it was, and her little crush had blossomed some. She wasn't the only one who had an eye on the Uchiha heir after all.

She had more rivals for his attention than ever. It was embarrassingly hard to compete. Ino had become a rival. This was a school for Ninja, being bombastic and loud was discouraged. This didn't mean that they were quiet about everything, and Sasuke was definitely something they were not quiet about. There were six of them competing for his attention… Well, Five. She didn't know if she could really count herself in the running as it was. Sasuke just looked right past her usually. It hurt, but she knew why. She was smart, it was the one thing she had going for her in spades; smart and aware. She knew she wasn't that beautiful, she was pretty. Like a small wild daisy. But there were roses in the running. She couldn't claim to be strong, there were sunflowers in the running. She was second best, at best. So she Tried. Really did, she put in effort more and more every year. The only solace she took is that he seemed nearly as disinterested in everyone else. He was cool, the epitome of Fudoshin! The immovable, in the moment, and unflappable. His poise nearly eternal. The only one who could break him from it… She paused to look over covertly at the mop of wild blonde hair currently tinkering with string in his seat, tying and untying knots and humming tunelessly as Iruka worked at his desk during self-study. The blonde was an enigma. He had nobody, no allies, no real friends. His skill however was beyond question even if his use of his talents was an utter waste. She frowned sharply but jumped a bit when Naruto's head turned just a bit to catch sight of one of his sharp blue eyes. She recoiled just slightly as his smile softened as he glanced up at her uncovered hair, and winked at her. She shivered and looked over at Sasuke who was diligently working at his seat. There was always something about Uzumaki that bothered her. It just tickled her brain to tell her he was no could tell others felt it too. There was an unapproachable aura about the kid. Being around him for too long could give an eerie feeling that was unaccountable. That he seemed to like her only made her feel more uncomfortable. She'd found small bundles of wild flowers on her seat now and again, small handmade things as well. She hadn't kept any of them, she didn't want him getting ideas.

"Alright class! Time to move on!" Iruka called interrupting her introspection, she tried to open her mind and focus on the lesson.

The ringing of the bell for the day was almost a shock, Sasuke could only blink as he snapped out of the lecture, it was mostly review for him, truth be told, but that was no reason not to pay attention, not to excel. It wasn't just expected of him by others, but by himself. He had been found wanting once, now he pushed to ensure it would never happen again. A dream, true, but the motivation was helpful. He picked up his things, stowing them efficiently and stepped from his chair to his desk and then channeled just a burst of chakra to his legs to boost his jump. It was a basic technique, but the gasps of his classmates almost made him sigh. He objectively knew his control needed work, he still landed several feet short of the door, and landed in a brief crouch. There was still room for improvement, he quickly made it through the door even as the first round of cooing began. There was little he had less patience for than the pointless war for his attention by the girls in his class. It was an embarrassment. He didn't have time for so shallow of people as them. Skill before beauty, poise before vigor. Not that he had time to consider dating. It was a distant thought at best. His priorities were cemented. He headed straight away to the Orphanage. His home for now. His rightful estates stood empty, locked and patrolled by the Hokage's order.

Heading in the same direction as him he felt the presence. He could always tell when that fool was looking at him, it made his hair stand on end. He locked eyes with the other boy, their competition was largely one sided, but he knew that above all when Naruto was after you, you had to be careful. He may have acted like an idiot but he definitely wasn't a complete one. "Fight me! I demand a rematch!" the blonde shouted, hopping up into the center of the path and getting into a sloppy ready stance. Sasuke turned his back, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "No. we'll be practicing again in class in two days. I have somewhere to be." He said and started to walk straight away from the blonde to get some trees between him and the annoying fool. Then he paused, there was a subtle change in the air. He stopped and stood. Then Naruto spoke up from behind him, "Fine! Walk away! Just admitting I'm the best!" he says sharply, petulantly. Sauske almost took another step but something felt wrong. He closed his eyes for a moment, took a quiet breath and really looked. There, a straight line, a trip line, just at ankle height along his path just one more step up. He made to step over it and paused. The air hadn't changed, another moment he saw it, far subtler, far tighter. A second wire stretched at the level of his toes just beyond the first, where he'd step to step over the trip wire. He put his foot back on the ground and turned around. "Nice try." he said and gave himself a spark of chakra to boost his hop over both, landing smoothly on his back foot, only needing two little steps to arrest his momentum completely. Naruto's pout was fierce. "Next time." was all the blonde said as Sasuke turned his back on him a second time and walked away as he heard the rapid footsteps of the other boy's retreat. He spared a glance back and saw the cunningly concealed wide mouth bucket. He guessed it was probably full of water, but with Naruto…

Sasuke put it out of his mind. It was unworthy to dwell on it. He walked the well worn path to the Orphanage. He arrived and pushed the doors open into the noise and the chaos of the dozen or so children there. The two he was looking for ran straight at him, he knelt and opened his arms just in time to catch them. "Cousin!" the two little girls squealed as he smiled. "Mika, Isoko, were you good today?" he asked them pulling back as they looked up at him, their dark eyes sparkling. They chorused yes and rushed into telling him about their day, their voices overlapping as they tried to talk over each other until he put a hand on each of their heads. "I know I have two ears, but I can't hear either of you." They both apologized and he smiled. They were small, true, and before the… event he had barely seen either of them. But now the three Uchiha were all each of them had left. A clan decimated, but there was hope. There was something besides anger and darkness to drive him, they were still there, no doubt. He felt the anger rise, threatening as ever to drown him, to consume him. But he set it aside with a practiced hand. There were two who needed him. That feeling, they let him set aside the nightmares. It was not easy, but it was his duty. It grounded him as he listened to the little girls recount their uneventful day in fanciful terms as he sorted any important information out of their stories. He said his goodbyes to them with the excuse that he needed to train, his Genin exam was coming up. They understood immediately. They were clan children afterall, the importance of such a thing was pushed into them from an early age. He ended up back outside at a nearby training field, he wasn't keen to miss dinner with his cousins, they would never forgive him if he did. He trained with obsessive fervor, practicing every trick and technique he might need tomorrow. Failure was a non-option. Genin were considered adults, in the loosest sense, and once he graduated he could rightfully claim his clan compound again. No more living in the loud, overcrowded orphanage. It would be some time before he could take in his cousins. Just another goal.

Blood, smeared on the walls, the floors. The smell of spilt entrails. Every corpse with empty eyes. The dark swirling red and black, it consumed his vision, smearing his vision crimson. "There is no value in killing you. If you wish to kill me, then Hate me, Detest me, Curse me, Survive, and grow strong in your anger. I lost all hope for the Clan..."

"Sasuke…" His eyes were open, his hand on a blade, still hidden beneath his pillow. He let go of it as he sat up in his futon to the small face looking down at him. "I had a bad dream." Sasuke let out his breath, and flopped backward a second before responding, looking up at the ceiling. "Okay." he said as the little girl laid down next to him and he put an arm around her as she was quickly back to sleep. He lay awake another few minutes, anxiety scratching at the back of his brain. Fear for himself, he had been helpless, fear for his future, he was still so weak, so far behind his brother, but most he was afraid for his cousins. They leaned so heavily on him. He knew. To them he was the only remaining vestige of home, the only shade of their lives, so cruelly shredded by the insane actions of his brother, his enemy. He tightened his grip on Isoko, "I will protect you, and one day, I will avenge you." he said as he let his eyes close.

"Team Seven, lead by Hatake Kakashi. Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, Uzumaki Naruto." Iruka said evenly reading from his notes. Sasuke was tense, bristling almost, Haruno he could handle, she was quiet at least, she had some skill. But to land on a team with Uzumaki. He glared at the back of the boy. Sitting in a place he didn't belong. He'd failed, fair and square. And yet, here he was, Hitai-ite and all. He knew that the kid had someone looking out for him. But this was just the worst kind of favoritism. He took a breath and let it out. No use getting angry, he couldn't contest the decision. The assignments had all been made with the Hokage's approval and influence. There was something in this team he wanted for each of them Time to suss out what it was. He sat as he listened to the other teams get announced. Hyuuga, Aburame, Inuzuka, a tracker team if Sasuke was any judge. Odd Jounin sensei though, Yuuhi had only made Jounin last year. A Genjutsu specialist for a tracking team. Sarutobi's team, Akimichi, Nara, Yamanaka. Absolutely no surprise there. That combination was well known even outside the village due to their fathers. Both teams left with their Jounin and he was left waiting. He could wait.

Sakura's heart was pounding as she got up from her seat and paused as Sasuke's eyes shot to her, pinning her for a moment as she clutched her hands together in front of her chest then let them drop as she tried to casually walk over and sit two seats down from Sasuke. He watched her the whole way but as soon as she sat down his eyes slid off her smoothly. Then started darting around the room. She was alert instantly, glancing around herself, they were alone. They were not supposed to be alone. The hairs standing on the back of her neck told her naruto was still around. Even if they'd temporarily lost sight of him. "Neh, what are we looking for?" a very loud voice asked very close to her. Sasuke actually twitched as both their heads whipped around to stare at Naruto sitting on the table behind them with the kind of smile that said something is about to happen. They both warily started to look around. Sakura searching her desk while Sasuke looked up immediately. "Nah, I wouldn't do anything to my teammates!" the blonde said, with such a hurt voice that Sakura actually felt a little guilty. "I just put a little something up for our la~te Jounin sensei!" He says pointing to the door where an eraser is wedged into the door. "Are you joking, any ninja worth his salt isn't falling fo~" Sasuke says as Naruto lazily extends a finger and points low. Where a tiny wire wraps around the doorstop, holding tension in a trip wire rigging a small object in a sling up by the ceiling. "What." Sakura says as Sasuke frowns. He didn't have enough time to rig all that in the spare minute. He'd been sitting in his seat napping since the teams were announced, he didn't have time to be in the rafters setting a trap like that. Sasuke looked at Naruto with searching eyes. Closely scrutinizing the blonde who sat utterly relaxed with a big smile on his face.

"I know what I'm good at!" he says smugly, looking proud of himself. Sasuke was just about to stand up to take it down when the door started to move. A mop of grey hair pushed in through the door as the Eraser fell and let out a poff of chalk, which Sasuke just let his mouth fall open even as Naruto started to grin as the rest of the trap sprung into motion, the swing started just as the masked Ninja finished stepping into the room putting a hand up to his head and the satchel swugn down from the ceiling and hit him right in his armored vest. The satched turned out to be more chalk dust that expanded in an ever increasing cloud as the grey haired ninja stood quietly a few moments and uzumaki could not contain his giggles holding his middle and laying on his back kicking his feet with mirth. The ninja walked out of the cloud, half his body white as snow. "Maaa….. Well, that was eventful." the ninja said trailing off as he brushed off his hitai-ite with one finger.

"Alright, I assume you three are mine, let's go." he said as he turned around and started slouching his way back out the door with a hooked thumb. Sasuke stood, full of apprehension, he knew the name Hatake. Copy-Nin Kakashi, Jounin Elite. It had been the one shining point in this otherwise upsetting door. But he couldn't help but feel that his mental image of the man was tarnished already. He glanced at Haruno, she looked to also be doing a kind of mental arithmetic. But they both dutifully followed. They were almost out of the room before Uzumaki recovered enough to bounce up to his feet and jump after them landing perfectly behind them at the door without so much as an extra step. "Hey! Wait for me!" he called in the air. Sasuke blinked, looking down at the blonde's feet as they stepped out of the door. He turned his head back to the ninja walking ahead of them at an easy swagger, not even minding the chalk dust that still followed him like a cloud.

Never judge a book by its cover.

A/N: a little introduction is in order. We'll see more of Sakura in the coming chapters. She's a little more than she was in canon. She can be my favorite character depending on how she's written. Also, lateness.


	3. Introductions

A/N: low reader involvement makes me feel like I'm failing to reach anyone. I'll try harder, but I'll admit, I am a rank amateur. I wanted to take the story in a different direction than the Canon. Because I have so many problems with it. So many characters are wasted, so many have paper thin motivations and make startleingly stupid decisions. When you turn down the raw power, skill and planning shine through. Naruto himself is such a weird character to me. He's so badly abused and neglected and shows almost no sign of it. I hope you all come to see it as I do.

On with the show. I hope you continue to think I'm great Lizzie, I am trying.

* * *

They walked out of the Academy, all the way to a small bench where the chalk-marked elite Jounin Hatake Kakashi spun, sat down and pointed casually at the space in front of him. "Alright kiddos, have a seat. Time for everybody's favorite, Icebreakers." he said with such absolute lack of enthusiasm that it managed to be quite off-putting. Sasuke sat down smoothly, choosing to sit with his knees bent, ready to spring back up at a moment's notice. Naruto sat down with a wuff of air as he sat with his legs splayed out, hands braced on the ground behind him, still with an impish grin on his face. Sakura sat last, dropping down to sit with her legs crossed, daintily, her eyes darting from the two boys to their sensei. He seemed to be nothing like the legendary figure, his Hitai-ite askance, covering one eye, his hair a wild shock of untamed silver hair, and his face covered by a high necked long sleeved shirt all the way up past his nose leaving basically no skin but for the tips of his fingers and one bored looking eye. His jounin vest was buckled tightly but frayed slightly, his pants were scuffed, and stitched. But most of all was his face, he just looked so tired, a bag resting under his one visible eye, his skin pale. His slouch was badly pronounced and he leaned on his knees like a man about to fall asleep where he sat.

"Neh... so…." Naruto started, his face pulled up into a serious mask, his eyes squinted small as he considered the slouching ninja sitting over him. "What kind of icebreaker?" Naruto asked awkwardly after Hatake didn't elaborate. Sasuke huffed quietly and Kakashi reached up a hand to scratch his chin, his one eye rolling up toward the sky. "Hmm… how about like this…" he started drawling casually.

"I am Kakashi Hatake," A single Sharingan spinning in the dark, a body count in the hundreds, missions from Sand to Stone, Iron to Wave flashed behind his eyes. A name with a reputation, and power all its own. Haunted by his last mission as ANBU. A quiet murder, he remembered the event in staccato bursts, a few moments of blood, images of quiet night, the grisly work of butchering that the correct message may be left, then vanishing into the night. Never to be acknowledged, never thanked, never spoken of again. Painfully lonely, terribly cold, long nights where Kakashi finally hung up his mask. "My hobby is reading," The edge of a little orange book poked out from the inside of his vest. Naruto's eyes narrowed in recognition, when you spend as much time slinking around the back streets of a city the size of Konoha you learn to recognize seedy things. Icha Icha, not a reputable name to say the least. A little release, a quirk that he developed that pushed people back to arms length. Few people want to associate with a known lecher, this was just a little push, to remind people to keep their distance. "My ambition is to see all of you become superb ninja," His eye was hollow as he looked over them, seeing right through them, it was chilling and disheartening to all three of them how little effort he put into the words. "I'm a ninjutsu specialist," Copy-nin, greater even than any of the former Uchiha had managed in their time in the field. A point of jealousy, a point of anger to some. But few can argue with a man who can manage to steal and suss out more than three hundred techniques. The Sharingan is a mighty tool but it only shows you what is in front of you, you must fill in the gaps yourself when practice reduces the technique to a short string of seals. "My greatest weakness is highly classified," However he wore it like a badge, he was disinterested, the fire that drove Konoha's scarecrow had guttered, he was an ashen shell of who he was, and his demotion to instructor was proof enough to those watching. He had never passed a team, and only the Hokage had ever gotten a real answer out of him as to why. Few knew why he was so perpetually off kilter, his mind distant, his hands limp his back slouched. It was better to let the legend remain even after the truth had faded. "And I graduated because I was the best in my class." it was a long time ago, and he was taken up by the man who would be saviour. It was so long ago, when he had so much to prove, both his own eyes, and a raging flame that pushed him to excel in all things. Time had worn him badly, like a scarecrow left for years over a field. "How's about that?" He asked with something like a smile, his eye crinkled a little and the mask pulled a bit. Sakura thought it looked forced, but she kept her mouth shut as his one eye slid onto her, lingered a moment. His single eye wielded the kind of weight that made her chest tighten when he actually seemed to see you, then slid off to Naruto before landing on Sasuke. "You first Sasuke-kun~"

He said it so sweetly which made Sasuke frown slowly then gather his thoughts. He swallowed then spoke in a clear, but quiet voice. "I am Uchiha Sasuke," Clan before all, the pride and gem of Konoha. The heart of its defenses, the soul of its unity. First amongst the clans after the fall of the house of Senju, "My hobby is training," Hours turning to days, into weeks and months. Power, strength, skill, enough to be all he needed to be. Scion of a decimated clan, Brother to two orphaned cousins, father of a clan he had only the faintest idea of how to handle. A child who was second, living in the shadow of true greatness. "My ambition is to kill a certain man..." True greatness indeed, and Sasuke got a dark look about him a moment but it passed like a summer storm from his face, but his heart lingered on. Blood on the walls, the soft silence of death, the sickly sweet smell of decay, Two twisted, intricate eyes turning in the darkness, slowly. "I am a ninjutsu specialist," Feverish practice and mastery at the cost of his hands, that flexed just slightly at the words, a flinch, so slight it barely made it past his eyes, a hint of uncertainty that vanishes as the smooth, burn-scarred hands flex just so. "my greatest weakness…." he seemed to think for a long moment, the moment of uncertainty a moment before resurfacing, but flashing away as his eyes close a moment before opening again and looking up to meet Kakashi's gaze, "I…" he frowned, caught in the weight of that stare, seemed to come to some internal conclusion, then finished the thought, "I am poor at working in a team." Kakashi nodded slowly, his head bobbing just a bit, his gaze resting on Sasuke as the boy continued, "I graduated because I am the best in my class." A drive to perfection, to excellence. A feverish need to prove himself. The second son, shadow of the Prodigy that came before him. Forever the lesser. His gaze broke from Kakashi's for an instant, flickering across Naruto and Sakura. Sakura hadn't moved but they both knew the score. He had so much to learn, and so far to reach and he already felt the weight of borrowed time on his shoulders, Mika and Isoko's faces flashed across his mind, smiling so hard when he knew they wanted nothing more than to fall down and cry. He said looking up at Kakashi with a daring steadiness that made Sakura's heart pound a little at his cool.

Kakashi smiled his little eye crinkle again, "oh good, you do know about that weakness." he says casually making Sasuke bristle just a bit. Hatake gives Sasuke a knowing look as he turns his attention to Naruto, then just as the blonde opens his mouth "I~!" Kakashi points at Sakura, "You next." Naruto managed to fit a lot of indignation into the look he threw at their sensei, but the man ignored it with the kind of skill that only the well practiced or truly apathetic can manage. Sakura balked just a bit having been caught off guard "I-I am Haruno Sakura!" she said probably louder than she needed to, catching a frown from Sasuke she swallowed her nervousness and took a steadying breath, It was a name with no weight. She was named for herself, she had no legacy to lean back on. Her family was merchants. They are civilian back five generations. They sell textiles, the vest her sensei is wearing came from her family's stocks, she looks at it and firms, her eyes traveling up, she manages to look Kakashi in the leaf on his headband, looking at his covered eye when she can't meet his other. "My hobby is reading." Many a night surrounded by books, diving deeper and deeper into history, tactics, theory, anything she can get her hands on. Any unrestricted book she had at least glanced at the table of contents in her years of reading. Only her friendship with Yamanaka Ino had slowed her down, and then it only pushed her reading into the night from the afternoon. The dark circles under her eyes, so carefully hidden with foundation were her hard won prizes. Her father gifted her a desk lamp at her last birthday, she used it nearly every night. "My ambition is to be recognized," she said throwing just the smallest glance at Sasuke, who she found was studying Kakashi closely. It gave her pause, she had watched him so closely as he spoke, but evidently she was not worth the effort to him. It made her blood boil, but with the experience of long and careful practice the fury retreated. Kakashi blinked slowly something heavy hung behind his eye she couldn't look to deeply without losing her pace. "I am a, um…" she considered how to phrase her skill, she had only ever excelled in tests of the mind, her physical skills floundered. It was so hard for her to work on something where she felt so little gain when in other places she could feel the growth so readily "I am a genjutsu type, I don't have a specialty yet." she admitted, swallowing the lump in her throat as Sasuke looked amused at her admission, finally deigning to look at her. She swallowed an unworthy comment and continued. "My greatest weakness… is my chakra reserves." she said quietly. Kakashi tilted his head slightly, but said nothing she could feel his disagreement prickling her skin. She continued, "I graduated because of my mastery of the fundamentals and academic skills." It came so easily to her, it was hard not to take the top spot. Sasuke was master of all the physical skills of a ninja in training, she was well versed in the mental aspects. This thought brought her to glance at Naruto as she finished just above a whisper to Naruto gave her an encouraging thumbs up with a wide smile.

He'd been quiet as a shadow but now he spoke up loudly, almost startlingly so. "I am Uzumaki Naruto!" he declared with relish making Sasuke recoil just a tiny bit at the volume of it. A name known to everyone in Konoha, a forgotten name, lost largely to time but for a small few with long memories or keen ears. His delinquency gave him a name all his own. Any who crossed him, or those who treated with them felt the sting of a creative and occasionally vicious sense of humor. "My hobby is making surprises for other people to enjoy." he said giving Kakashi, who was still quite whitened with chalk dust a cheeky smile, which Hatake indulgently returned. While far from his best work, his best was a local legend. Few could say they had a reputation known by the entire city by age twelve, fewer still could say they earned it all themselves. Naruto was one such person "My ambition is to be Hokage!" He had shouted it from the rooftops, he had stated it with conviction and fervor, there was something beneath all that though. And with a curious twinkle Kakashi's smile became sadly genuine for only an instant. Naruto's announcement was accompanied by thrusting a fist into the air, this got snorting non-verbal noise from Sasuke that drew a daring look from Naruto, their 'rivalry' was known by the entire academy, "got something to say, bastard?" he asked challengingly and Sasuke's mouth opened to respond before he glanced at Kakashi when he felt something tickling the side of his face. Kakashi looked cold as stone and Sasuke who wisely said nothing, his mouth closing with an audible click of teeth. Naruto seemed to accept this as an answer without even glancing at Kakashi before continuing, "I'm a Stealth specialist, believe it!" he says with a proud smile, and he had much right to it. No human should be as invisible and silent while wearing I-am-an-idiot-please-kill-me Orange. Few creatures could manage his evasion, the snakes in the grass, the shrike in the trees, the foxes in the grass. There is a beat of silence as Kakashi makes a small noise of consideration before Naruto continues, My greatest weakness is… um…." he considers but looks chagrined a moment. "M-my chakra control." he said haltingly, as Kakashi's eyebrow rose just a bit, almost shocked that the boy would be aware enough to admit it. "I graduated because I caught a traitor." he says with venom. The word dripped. There was a heaviness, an anger like a banked bonfire. It was unsettling, Sakura had never heard that kind of tone out of Naruto before, he'd been goofy, or angry, or even sad, but the tone of his voice brought a shiver up her spine as she could almost see the darkness gather on the rambunctious boy for a moment. Sasuke recoiled, physically swayed backward as though struck his eyes widening as Naruto stared into the middle distance. He stared at the slightly bowed head of the blonde with a puzzled expression. Sakura looked at him with new eyes as well. It was something incongruous, an admission of a secret. Amongst ninja, secrets often were worth killing for.

"Mah, what an interesting group we have here." Kakashi stated in a tone that said he thought no such thing. Sasuke bristled again and Naruto frowned shaking himself from his funk in an instant. "A self-styled avenger, a 'stealth specialist' who decided to wear look-at-me Orange, and a little pink glory seeker." he said each of them with the tone of compliment even though none of them had a smile for him to match the one he offered each of them. "But, before we get into it, One more thing. None of you are Ninja yet. There is one more test, if you want to be taught by me. Meet me at training ground Eleven tomorrow morning at oh-six in the morning, and don't eat any breakfast, or I guarantee you will throw up." he said cheerily then gave them a lazy wave and vanished in a swirl of leaves. There were two heavy beats of silence before any of them spoke "What was that." Naruto commented. "Our Jounin." Sasuke said testily, though whether it was at Naruto or Kakashi was impossible to tell. Sakura's mouth made a small line, "kind of a jerk…." she said quietly to which both boys nodded thoughtfully. They stayed seated and shared a glance before each started to move, with much to mull over.

* * *

Sasuke walked slowly away from his first meeting, it was an eye opening one. He'd had little to do with either of the other prospective genin he'd been teamed with before now. He'd really looked at Sakura for the first time today. He'd watched the way her gaze flicked to him constantly, he knew she felt strongly about him, it was hard to miss considering the way she acted when she thought he wasn't watching with the other girls. He tried to be subtle about watching her but he wasn't sure if she knew or not to be honest. She was reserved more often than not, but when she chose to act it was seldom planned, she reacts explosively. He remembered she had pink hair under that headscarf and wondered if it had given her a complex that made her so quiet so often. That was the other thing, her temper. She hid it well but every once in a while it would slip out she'd nearly exploded the one time during the meeting he had observed. She had him beat in academics much as he was loath to admit. Se was the better everywhere else, but she was top of the class in that one place. It was nice to be paired with an equal in some way at least, he supposed. Then there was Naruto, he'd wanted to ignore the idiot, but there were things he couldn't ignore. Like that last comment, caught a traitor? That couldn't be right. Surely he'd have heard about it. It would have been the talk of the town if there were a traitor in their midst. He'd failed the Genin exam the day before when he couldn't even do a single bushin properly, but then showed up with a hitai-ite anyway. His flaws were obvious, his taijutsu was sloppy, his academics were bad, the only place his ninja skills were up to mark were in his tool work. He hated to admit it, but honor required he did, Naruto was a fiend with traps. So his teammates at least had one useful skill each, something Sasuke could learn from them. He was on a mission to get stronger, and if his team was probably going to be a disappointment, then the least he could do was to learn as much as he could from them. It was with this determination that he opened the doors to the orphanage and put on the only honest smile he had as he sought out his cousins.

* * *

Sakura walked home slowly, but decided to stop at a bench on her route home. Her house was empty this time of year anyway, her parents out making a trip to the land of wind for their business. She sat on the bench and reviewed the day. Sasuke was unapproachable and distant, he'd barely looked at her. So the admittedly childish fantasy that he would suddenly notice her when they graduated was a wash, she'd just have to try something else on that front. It could have been worse, but she felt like she hadn't done herself any favors with her nervousness. She'd let herself be caught off guard by Hatake-sensei. He was very different than who he was portrayed to be in the histories. Naruto being on her team had been a bit of a shock. An unpleasant one at that. When considered rationally, she supposed if someone were trying to put together a team that could carry the bottom achiever in the class this was the one that could. They had the practical skills and knowledge skills cinched up between Sasuke and herself. So she supposed that was why, she just wished he would stop giving her the creeps with that fake bravado stuff. He acted so big but she saw the small motions, the tiny flinches whenever someone turned toward him, now that she was really looking at him. Like he was constantly expecting someone to try to attack him. It was weird, and it only made her more uncomfortable past the weird aura the boy had. She suppressed a shiver and thought about what he'd said, how he'd said it. He claimed to be a stealth expert... Sadly she had to give him that, she couldn't keep track of him always even when she was trying to if her attention lapsed for even a moment. She'd known he was quick and quiet, they mostly all were, but it's one thing to pull one over on a distracted teacher, or make a move when unobserved, another to be there one moment and gone the next like kakashi had done right in front of their eyes. It made her nervous to think that Naruto could pull the same trick. The sudden feeling of being watched raised her head.

She felt her hair stand on end as she looked over on the bench and saw the subject of her thoughts spread on the bench, heels on the dirt hands behind his back looking up at the darkening sky. She started fairly badly when she saw him "N-Naruto!?" she jumped to her feet, hands curled into fists as his gaze settled on her shoulders and hips, gauging her stance in a moment beneath his carefree exterior. She saw him twitch as he smiled and it smoothed over almost as soon as it began. "Neh, Sakura-chan, how're you doing? I saw you sitting and you looked like you could use a little company." He said sweetly, offering a nearly genuine smile. Sakura stood staring at him a few moments before sighing and sitting back down on the bench. "Why do you do that?" she asked quietly and Naruto made a confused noise, raising his eyebrows at her. She growled quietly, "Act like you're not trying to give people the heebie jeebies!" she fixed him with a sharp frown and Naruto looks more thoughtful and contrite. "Um, habit… I guess."

Her anger stokes just a bit. "Well break it! We're supposed to be a team, I don't wanna be teamed with someone who's trying to give me a hard time!" she says raising her voice just a bit and shaking a fist at him, slightly gratified that he flinches away from her outburst. He looks away. "Uh… sorry, I'll try to be better." They sit in quiet for a few moments. Naruto contritely pulling in his feet and sitting up more properly and her pulse has a moment to slow back down and her anger recede. It occurs to her now is the moment to ask a question that had been eating her for years at that point, an observation she'd made time and again. What had always stopped her was the social barrier. He was a pretty toxic asset and just about everybody wouldn't choose to be near him if they could help it. "Why, if you're so good at ninja skills, do you not try at the academy? You could sneak up on the teachers; Chunin! But you still had the worst grades!" she asks him and Naruto's smile gets a little sad. "Because people got angry when I did try." he says so casually and she can't help but let the incredulity show on her face. "What? Whos' going to get mad at you for trying!? You're pulling my leg!" she asks genuinely confused and Naruto gives her a small, bitter smirk.

"Oh, you know, some of the kids, some of the teachers, some of the parents." he says, trailing off with increasing venom. She turns to face him more fully on the bench. "What do you mean? Why are they getting mad at you for trying to do well? That doesn't make any sense!?" Naruto gets a faraway look, his face settling out of a smile into something more serious. His eyes unfocus and though he's looking toward her he's not seeing anything around them. She feels a shiver as she looks into his eyes and sees a great depth, with a flicker of deep flaming anger, it's only a moment before he shrugs and the darkness recedes. "Neeeh, I donno, people are weird around me!" he says with a casual smile, his eyes closed and he leans back again smoothly. There was a gap in his facade and she could see the moment the mask slid back on, so smoothly and seamlessly it only increased her misgivings about the blonde joker. She looks down at her sandals. "Okay… but that's still weird. You know the team is not gonna get mad at you for trying right? I'll get pretty mad if you don't! And I'm pretty sure Sasuke will too, even though he probably won't say it." she says testily, narrowing her eyes at him, her lips pursing in frustration. Naruto lets out a chuckle and looks at her around a broad smile.

"You're really pretty when you're angry Sakura-chan~." he says sweetly and she flinches back, her fist already winding back as he rockets up, from a seated position right into the air before landing on his feet; gives her a jaunty wave then runs off. Sakura sits there a moment anger throbbing in her raised arm with nothing to punch. She lets out a strangled growl as she stares at her fist impotently, before letting it drop as she feels the tension drained out of her. For some reason her heart is pounding, like her life were in danger her muscles tense and tight. She takes a few deep breaths to calm herself and rolls her joints discreetly while she looks at where Naruto ran away. There was a puzzle there, some kind of secret. She liked to think she wasn't too short, but something about him just made her skin crawl. She hugged herself and stood up, walking toward her empty home, watching the dirt, lost in thought. This team was going to be very different than what she had hoped, or expected.

* * *

A/N: another chapter, please consider leaving a review to tell me what I'm doing right and what I'm doing wrong. I appreciate constructive criticism and questions so I know what I need to better explain or directions to elaborate. Next time, a familiar test and even more tensions. A lax string produces no tone.


	4. A Ringing in the Ear

A/N: I had a half day, and badly wanted to avoid yard work. so I spent the day writing. This chapter was more or less fully formed in my mind, I honestly like the original bell test, but I do have to account for Naruto's little skill being an unknown tool, and for Kakashi being more of a shit. Also the characters being in general a little smarter and being a written medium instead of a visual one. so I hope you like it, I liked writing it.

to Lizzie, I appreciate your enthusiasm, enjoy. and to RedSoleil, I tried to take your advice, I hope this is a little easier to read, thank you for taking the time.

* * *

Sasuke was huffing, his breathing broken and heart pounding. No amount of sparring, no amount of theory, no amount of vainglorious imagining could prepare one to fight against a veteran ninja. He stood with his back against a tree. All he had to know that his Sensei had not abandoned him was the gentle tinkling of the bells. Those damned bells were like torture. Goal, temptation, and clue all at once. He heard one ring just ever so quietly and his head snapped up coming face to face with a smiling masked face.

"Hello there." Sasuke tried to swing upward but Kakashi was already moving, his hands sliding through a set of seals as he dropped, smiling all the way Sasuke's slash was close, but it always was, kakashi never bothered dodging more than centimeters out of the way, as he passed by Sasuke saw the hands reaching for his legs and started to ump, boosting his speed with chakra, he started saying a curse as his ankles were grasped by two calloused, firm hands. Sasuke was prepared for a shock, or even to be flung away, he didn't expect his Sensei to drop into the ground as though it were water, as he felt the dirt rush up his ankles he screamed.

* * *

Sasuke arrived at oh five thirty at training ground 11, it was thick with trees and carefully maintained scrub. It was like a gallery, each tree precisely spaced. It was pretty, in an eerie way. When he arrived he took a deep breath tasting the air, it was damp, the nightly rain still dampening the soil. The sound of birds were all around him, happily announcing the summer. The heat was already rising, and the humidity of the night made it feel heavy. He turned as he heard a soft sound of impact to see Naruto land in a crouch, hands forward in an exaggerated landing before he stood up slowly with a smile and waved.

"Hello there Uchiha!" naruto said with brimming joviality, Sasuke made a small noise of acknowledgement. Sasuke went to lean against a tree and keep his eyes and ears open. It was a few minutes before Sakura appeared, her muted red dress and headscarf in place with a game face on.

"Sensei isn't here yet?" she asks looking around as she walks up and shoots a look just past Sasuke with a confused expression on her face. Naruto was the cause, naturally. Sasuke huffed when he realized that Naruto was aping him, and judging by Sakura's giggle he'd managed to mimic the huff as well. Sasuke bristled internally but merely went back to quietly leaning, no use getting worked up about it. He sure as hell wasn't gonna stop Naruto goofing around if years of academy instructors couldn't.

It was three hours and fifteen minutes later when Kakashi casually strolled into the grove. "Well hello there my cute little student-prospects." he said without glancing up from a small orange covered book he cradled in his hands. The three of them stared incredulously at him for a few moments before they could walk over to him, Sakura first followed by Naruto. Sasuke only moving when the other two looked back at him and Kakashi still hadn't stopped reading.

"Good. So, like I said yesterday…" he trailed off, brought one hand down and drew two tiny metal bells on stings, like one would get from a pet shop. "You have one more test to pass. Maybe you'll be the first to do it." he said and his eye slid off the page to look all three of them in the eye. The weight of expectation was a physical weight. "Each of you needs one of these bells to be my student. If you don't get them by noon, you fail and I flush you back to the academy. Where you would obviously belong." he says. Sasuke actually growled hearing that, it was quiet but all of them heard it.

Naruto smiled his eyes nearly closed with the size of it. "Sounds like a challenge!" he says putting his arms behind his head as Sakura's eyes got wide looking at the little noise makers.

"And to make it fair, I'll stay in this grove, and so will all of you." Kakashi continued with a smile. He carefully dog eared the bottom corner of the page with a pinkie finger and snapped it shut, tucking it casually into his vest as he took the first bell and attached it to his breast pocket over his heart. The second he attached to his hip on the other side pulling his book back out and pausing with it still closed standing there. "Oh, by the way, Begin." he said as he opened his book.

Sasuke was the first to move, he dashed forward, eyes on the prize, hand shooting out for the bell on Kakashi's hip. Kakashi countered this with a perfectly casual sweep of the hand, Sasuke didn't even touch the bell. He went into a taijutsu combination. Trying to catch his hands and legs up. Force any opening. Kakashi didn't even close his book, blocking one handed. With his knees, and subtle shifts that always put the bell just out of reach. Sakura was mesmerized watching Sasuke go all out and be so casually dismissed by Hatake Kakashi.

For all his downtrodden appearance, he was a thing of grace, not a wasted movement. The enormity of the task slowly dawning on her as she let out the breath she didn't know she was holding and turned her head. It should have been no surprise to find the blonde gone. That was that. She leapt forward to start in on Kakashi, trying to divide his attention enough to get at least one of the bells. With her joining in the fight suddenly evened somewhat, and after nearly a minute of seemingly pure defense Sasuke managed to reach out in the middle of one of Sakura's power strokes and a tiny dulling of the silver tone of the bell as Kakashi shifted told her that he had touched one of the bells.

However Sakura was not the strongest Taijutsu user in the world and while Kakashi was simply blocking Sasuke she quickly found her ankle nudged up and her leg swept with a furtive motion. She was back on her feet in an instant and back in the fray. The fight went on for a solid minute before both Sasuke and Sakura went for a roundhouse kick only to see their intended target vanish from between them. Sakura's kick caught Sasuke in the knee, buckling it with a shout while Sasuke's caught her right across the chest. Both of them landed in the dirt, Sasuke hissing and clutching his knee while Sakura tried to breath. Her hands on her chest.

"What!?" Sasuke gasped as he found his feet to see Kakashi crouched over them. "Mah, that looked like it hurt." he said turning a page deliberately. "You'll have to try harder than that, but good hustle. Maybe if you got some more help." he said and then his eye went wide and he did a backflip as Naruto appeared, arm outstretched, reaching for where the bell had been only a moment ago. "Dammit! I was so close." the blond griped looking back at Kakashi as both Sakura and Sasuke stared at him wide eyed.

"Where did you go, idiot!?" they both shouted at him which made the blonde jump nearly out of his shoes.

"Ah, heh, that is… I was watching for an opportunity! For sure!" he said with a sly smirk. The other two shared a glance. Sakura stood up, cast around looking for their sensei and made a small noise.

"Um…. Guys, he's gone!" Then, in the sudden silence she looked around herself again. The endless trees stretched on and on. Straight, neat lines that stretched to infinity, as far as she could see. Where did the city go? The birds chirped quietly but her teammates were gone. She spun, looking for anything to know what had happened. Any indication of where they had run off to. But found nothing. Just endless trees, tall as the heavens, silent as midnight. She felt a shiver.

"Guys?" she asked in a small voice.

* * *

Naruto and Sasuke had leapt back at their teacher. Sasuke to head back on the attack, Naruto playing the opportunist, waiting to throw an attack until Kakashi committed to the defense. They were just as stymied as Sakura and Sasuke had been. Kakashi was too quick, too precise. They couldn't land a single hit on him he didn't allow to happen, and then only glancing ones. Through it all he had his eyes on his little orange book. Finally Sasuke jumped back with a cry of "Enough!" flashed through a barrage of hand signs and let out a rolling gout of fire, centered on where Kakashi had been. The flames licked hot and orange, merrily dancing. When he let it go Naruto was on the very edge of it, his clothes singed and lightly smoking.

"Ey! Bastard! What do you think you're doing!" he shouted, waving a fist at him. "Sakura! Did you see… Sakura?" he paused looking back, the look on his face drew Sasuke's attention who looked back to find Sakura standing, her face blank and vacant looking around herself slowly as though concussed. "Sakura, what's wrong?" Naruto aked standing up. Sasuke didn't even have time to shout a warning as Kakashi dropped down behind him.

"Sneaky kid, but not sneaky enough." Naruto started to turn as Kakshi snapped his bok shut and shaped his fingers into a seal. "Konoha secret technique!" he grunted and Naruto's turn shifted into an attempt at flight, his feet just starting to curl as kakshi drove forward with the sign, right into Naruto's rear, a further thrust of effort hurled the blonde into the underbrush. "One Thousand Years of Pain!" Kakashi added to his kancho with dramatic flourish. In the moment Sasuke had watched naruto's flight Kakashi was gone, leaving him alone against an opponent he was understanding he had no chance against. The hopelessness of the battle brought back painful memories, flashes, Sasuke found himself paling, his heart racing, his sweat running cold. He took a step back against a tree, searching. "Where!?"

* * *

The scream was all Naruto heard as he disentangled himself from the brush where he landed. He then started making hand signs. This wasn't working, two on one they just couldn't keep him pinned in, and luckily the blonde had just the solution. He focused and poured chakra into the technique. There was a soft pop of displaced air and where there had been one Naruto there were ten. They looked at each other and smiled a vicious smile. His late night of studying the past two days had borne strange fruit. A clone that was solid, no mere illusion. They were as fast as the original, as physically strong, but an unexpected firm blow would banish them instantly to nothing again. Short lived, but powerful. He had read what he had copied time and again. Making sure he understood all he could. Nothing was declared forbidden without a good reason. This because of the mental strain and massive power requirements to produce even one of the clones. He found his limit at thirty. They split up with a nod and began to work. There was a plan. A method, three bells, thirteen sets of hands, light work. Hopefully.

First though a Naruto landed next to Sakura, still standing frozen, looking around breathlessly mouthing words she wouldn't say, her eyes unfocused but tears dripping down her face. As he reached out for her a hand landed on his shoulder, "don't you know it's very bad to wake a sleepwalker?" Kakashi said playfully, but firm. Naruto's attempted punch landed him in an armlock, held by one hand while his teacher giggled quietly at what he was reading, "Oi, Pervert! Stop goofing around! Sasuke!" Naruto called out only to look where he had been and see a shock of black hair poking out of the dirt, struggling feebly. "You cut off his head!?" Naruto shrieked and only a slight raising of his arm prevented him from running away. "Naw…" Kakashi said distracted a moment, then paused, raised his head and looked around, his eye scanning the trees "Hm. That's interesting." He said as eight Naruto's dashed out with a tiny burst of chakra each. Only three actually aimed at Kakashi, the rest all aiming around him to cut off his escapes. "Naruto's Secret Technique!" they chorused as Kakashi didn't react until one drew close before his eye went wide and he hurled the Naruto he held in a neat sidestep so that two of the attacks meant for him impacted the Naruto he was holding instead. When he then suddenly found himself holding nothing but steam.

His one visible eye narrows and his strategy shifts, a single hand sign and Kakashi drops into the ground as though it were water. Leaving all the Narutos standing looking at each other in shock and a collective confusion on how to proceed from here. One reaches out and gives Sakura a gentle shake. The moment his hand touches her, her eyes snap into focus and she lets out a shriek, seems to have a spasm and falls back on the ground. "What!? Where!? How!? Naruto!?" she asks, looking at him with vast doe eyes unshed tears shining. "What happened!?"

Naruto for his part leapt back at her reaction and those nearby were torn between snickering and leaning in curiously.

"Genjutsu." Sasuke says still buried to the neck, resigned to his prison for the moment. Instead concentrating on the space around them. "Also, could you get me out of here." he said in a tone that made it sound more like an order than a question, but two Narutos gave each other a look and started walking over. They were dispelled by a pair of rocks hitting both of them squarely in the side of the head and in the mist of their vanishing Kakashi appeared his book open in one hand, eye narrowed looking at the gaggle of Narutos.

"The Shadow Clone Technique." he said without preamble. "Very advanced for someone your age." He closed the book with a snap, and as he did all six remaining Narutos shared a smile. Sakura couldn't really see it, but it looked different. She was reminded of a book she read once on animal behaviors. Animals didn't really smile, besides dogs that learned it from humans. No, animals didn't smile, they showed teeth. Naruto, none of the Narutos she could see looked happy. They showed Teeth.

"Ahh! Sensei, thank you for the recognition!" they chorused just slightly out of synch. It was then that The shuriken started to fly, all six of them started to hurl metal at a remarkable pace. Naruto had never been the most accurate in the class, but he made up for this deficiency with pure volume in this case, six apiece. Kakashi quickly took one step back and made a single hand sign. A whump of air traveled forward, vertically parting the wave of shuriken and in the process forcing a Naruto to scramble out of the way, though the puff of smoke was proof that he was not yet faster than a sonic cone. Kakashi was considering his opponents as two of the shuriken that he hadn't deflected suddenly turned into two more Narutos who both tapped off the ground to reach in for the bell at his hip and rear. Kakashi was caught flat footed for only an instant and was already turning as the hands started to move toward him. Though the tiny sound of a bell being dulled spoke volumes as both Narutos were reduced to poffs of mist and the static of dissipating charka in a single swift motion of the Jonin's part.

Kakashi's book snapped closed and he inspected a wristwatch on the same hand, set on the inside of his wrist. "Well, well, well. Ten-thirty already? Alright let's take a lunch, I know I'm hungry." He said with a chuckle at the look given to him by all three of his students. "For being the first to 'die' Sasuke is not allowed lunch. I'll be back in…. Hm…. thirty minutes, then maybe I'll let Sasuke out of his hole… or maybe not."

Sakura spoke up first. "But sensei! If he didn't eat breakfast like you told us, isn't it a little mean to also stop him eating lunch?" Kakashi stated tapping his chin while looking at the quietly seething Sasuke, still merely a head on the ground. He gave the child a condescending smile and walked away, reopening his book as he walked. "Twenty-nine minutes." he said as he hopped up into the trees and vanished.

* * *

Sasuke thrashed a little from his place in the ground, he had no way to gain any leverage, escaping from this position himself was impossible but it felt good to struggle in a paradoxically frustrating way. The Narutos dispel as a group leaving only one standing kicking at the dirt. "Dammit." he gripes as he stalks over toward a tree and pulls down a small bindle, unwrapping it to show a small sealed container, that when opened contained rice, and preserved vegetables. He looked at his sad little bento and walked over, flopping to the ground beside Sasuke. "Well this sucks." he says producing a pair of chopsticks. Sakura pulls a small meal out of a bush, similarly wrapped, though hers also has a thermos and contains actual meat. She kneels down before sitting daintily facing Sasuke and Naruto.

"What are we gonna do?" she asks quietly after a few bites. Naruto is silent, chewing with a frustrated expression. Sakura takes Naruto's attitude and Sasuke's sullen silence to be an answer and doesn't ask again.

Naruto grabs some pickled radish and rice on his chopsticks and offers it down to Sasuke who looks up at him sharply and Sakura's eyes go wide. "But Sensei said…!" she started only to see Naruto's face brighten into a smile. "Haruno-chan, I don't give a damn. I bet neither of you ate breakfast either?" he asked looking to Sakura who shook her head shyly and then looking down at Sasuke who's eyes narrowed before he shook his head just slightly. "Yeah. we're all hungry, and I'm sure as hell not hurting our chances by leaving my teammate hungry. We'll get those bells, Believe it!" he says feeding Sasuke a bite.

"you could just dig me out, fool." Sasuke gripes but leaves it at that when he gets offered another mouthful.

"You know, if you're going to break the rules, you should at least try to hide it." Kakashi's voice makes all three of them jump as the jonin himself steps from behind the tree they're sitting under. Crossing his arms, "I made a rule, and the first thing you do is break it?" he says, his voice heavy with menace.

Naruto is on his feet in a moment standing over Sasuke defensively. "You're damn right I did!" the fervor of his declaration ringing in the sudden quiet, Sakura springs up to her feet and hustles behind Sasuke, pulling at the earth quickly while trying to keep her eyes on Kakashi.

Kakashi flashes through two hand signs, raises one foot and brings it down with a thunderous crack. "Then you had best be prepared for the punishment!" he booms and in an instant Sasuke is ejected from the earth like a popped zit, nearly bashing Sakura in the face and bowling Naruto right over.

"What." Sasuke asks, blinking in confusion, not even really being able to properly react besides getting his feet under him.

"It's hard to eat lunch buried up to the neck." Kakashi explains then casually walks off again, waving over his shoulder.

There is a moment of stunned silence. "Um…" Sakura starts distantly watching Kakashi walk away.

"What?" Naruto says from the ground looking very pathetic in a lump on the ground.

* * *

Thirty two minutes later Kakashi strolled back into the training ground to three genin with three empty bento between them. They all stood in loose formation looking at him with a determined glare. Kakashi smiled his strange concealed smile. "Well. Looks like you had a good lunch, it's important to get your nutrition." he says. "Well then, I believe we have, maah…. Twenty minutes left in the time limit." Sakura bristles at that while the boys look unimpressed.

"So. let's make this easy." he says taking the two bells and holding them in his palm. "I'll take on two of you, you may pick who gets washed out." Kakashi says in a friendly way and all three of them pause.

"What?" Naruto asks looking frozen.

"Two of us?" Sakura asks her voice cracking sharply.

"Dammit. I should have made the connection." Sasuke said looking at the two bells with loathing then at the two of his teammates.

The three of them look at each other, long moments stretching as they consider. Each of them with a subtly different expression, resignation on Naruto's face, bitterness on Sakura's, and a kind of ember of anger on Sasuke's.

"All that planning, wasted." Sasuke mutters, Naruto chuckles darkly.

"Time's ticking~" Kakashi reminds musically.

"Nope." Naruto says and crosses his arms. "I'm used to unfair, but this is mean."

"Yeah, we were working together pretty well…" Sakura mutters, Sasuke turns to Kakashi. "Screw that. We'll fight you, three on one, we win, you take us all on as students." he declares, taking a step forward. Naruto's eyes narrow then he steps up behind Sasuke's shoulder. Sakura takes only a minute of wide eyed wonder to step up as well, a game face sliding over her features.

Kakashi's hand snaps closed around the bells and he smoothly puts them in his pocket. "Well well well… you break my rules, you throw my generous offer back in my face, then you have the nerve to tell me you think you can win? Didn't I already beat all of you? All three?" Kakashi asks, his face unimpressed. But Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura hold firm.

"Not together!" Sakura declares.

"Don't underestimate us!" Naruto barks.

Sasuke crosses his arms and stands up straight, "We'll show you, this team can take one jonin." he says without wavering.

Kakashi glares at them, then his gaze softens and he slides into a smile.

"Well then, I agree." He says happily.

The three of them drop into a combat stance and just as they're ready to spring at Kakashi he continues.

"...To take all three of you on. Congratulations, my cute little students." he says clapping his hands together.

"What." all three of them mutter.

"You passed!" Kakashi says throwing up his hands a little bit.

"Hooray!" he adds after a moment of silence.

* * *

An hour later, sitting all three of them at the Ichiraku Ramen Stand. Even Naruto can only find the mental energy to stare into his bowl for a few moments, it is Sakura who breaks the silence.

"Do…. do you think we can trade for a different Sensei?" she asks holding the unbroken chopsticks in her fingers.

"...We should ask." Sasuke mutters darkly.

"Nope!" Kakashi says appearing behind them to grab all three into a close cluster while another Kakashi pops up next to Teuchi, causing him to nearly spill some broth as he starts to shout in indignation the second Kakashi snaps a picture of the three shocked students before tossing the Camera to the first one and vanishing in a puff of mist.

"We're gonna have so much fun, Training starts tomorrow at 7!" he says walking away leaving them to their slowly cooling ramen, Sakura has one hand on her heart.

"Petition the Hokage?" she asks squeakily.

"He'll just laugh." Naruto says resignedly and practically shoves his face into the Ramen bowl.

* * *

A/N: I hope you like Kakashi, he's a little less put together than he is in the source material. But then again, he's not an Elite Jonin for no reason, but he's also not wearing his ANBU mask anymore for a reason.

I hope you enjoyed this little test, writing action in a way that is clear and interesting to read is always one of the hardest things to do as an author. I'd love to hear your thoughts and criticism, to that end, please leave a review.


	5. Training (into the) Ground

_A/N:a little more change, a little more distance. Finally had some time off used a bunch of it to revise this chapter a few times and expand it a little. So here we have the longest chapter yet and we break the 20k word wall. join me in blowing a kazoo in celebration._

_To Lizzie, sorry I haven't had time to update sooner, I get at it as soon as I can, hope you enjoy it. To Redsoleil, you pay me too great a compliment, I hope I continue to impress. With that said, Enjoy._

* * *

"Come in Kakashi, I'm sure you know why you're here." the Hokage said conversationally, slipping an orange covered book away into a drawer as Kakashi slouched his way into the office and into one of the hard wooden chairs before the desk.

"Probably because you want to know how the little genin are getting along." Kakashi drawled with a friendly smile that Sarutobi returned.

"Yes, I do believe that's a fine summary. Their first week with you should be something of a tale." the Hokage said leaning forward onto his intertwined fingers.

"I'm sure the ANBU you have watching two out of three of them gave good reports unless Nara is letting them slack as much as his son does." They both shared a small chuckle.

"All the same, they are more focused on other tasks than watching the children learn, and you are their Jonin-Sensei." Sarutobi said waving off Kakashi's objection.

"The short answer… they aren't. Maah… well I suppose I should explain… where to begin, probably day three. I'll hand it to these kids, they learn pretty quick…." Kakashi said launching into a seemingly fond reminiscence for his leader.

* * *

"Come on my cute little students, only twenty five more!" Kakashi said from Sasuke's back as they did pushups in sync. He didn't count them out loud, but he was counting.

"You, unh, said that, unh, eighteen ago!" Naruto says from beneath the rock placed on his shoulders. He looks at Naruto with a fond smile.

"Those didn't count." he says simply and all three of his students collapsed to the dirt. Sakura, with a bundle of wood on her back let out a groan. Sasuke let out a long groan as Kakashi turned to face Sakura.

"Well we Did only have twenty five to go. I guess it's thirty now." Kakashi says petulantly. "And here I was so hoping we'd get to do something besides exercise today." All three of his students expressed their anger in a different way.

Sasuke's hands scratched the dirt, clawing the earth as he tried to hyperventilate, difficult with a grown man on his back pressing his chest into the dirt. He twisted to look at the others. Sakura had tears in her eyes, her jaw clenched so hard it hurt, hands curled into fists. When it got to be too much to contain she'd smash her fist on the dirt. Naruto though, just lay there, a furious air emanating around him. This was typical, Sasuke was fairly stoic, but he handled anger and frustration badly. Sakura wore her heart on her sleeve. Naruto was different. Kakashi had to watch him carefully to work out what he was thinking. His anger was restrained, just like all his negative emotions. He was very careful about letting them show and usually only did when there was a gain to be made from them. Kakashi expected him to start yelling, that was the preferred method of expressing himself when upset, but then, quietly, he huffed and opened his mouth, loud as always but the question brought a faint smirk to Hatake's lips

"Hey, Sensei, why didn't they count?" he asks sweetly. Kakashi smiled a hidden smile, he was learning after all. Naruto wasn't as smart as Sakura, he couldn't put together obtuse clues or puzzles easily. He also wasn't as quick a study as Sasuke, that boy absorbed technique and correction like he was born to it, and could apply what he'd learned in an instant. No, Kakashi had been watching and gauging, his terror tactics were not pointless. He was finding their limits, their natural responses to stress, fear, anger. A Ninja must be in control. However, Naruto did have one very useful trait. He was aware, and he seemed to always know when he was being watched or followed. It was almost preternatural. If he didn't know better, Kakashi would think he was an Inuzuka or Aburame. But back to the question, he supposed he could throw them a bone. He'd hoped they would work it out on their own.

"Well, that last one, Sakura stayed down longer than you two. The one before that, Sasuke went down early." he said counting out on his fingers. "And before that…. Meh, you get the picture."

"Dammit!" Sasuke growled and all three of them slowly shifted their hands back into push up position. A look shared across them and Sakura counted out from three once they rose she gasped and broke chain Naruto picked it up seamlessly. Both the others followed his count.

"There we go!" Kakashi says happily as he watches Naruto carefully. The kid had more energy than was reasonable in more than one way. That he could keep count out loud with that stone on his back was slightly impressive. More even that the stone hadn't fallen off. Twenty later Kakashi casually stepped off Sasuke (throwing off the rhythm) as he walked over and put his foot on the stone and wobbled it. He was surprised when it shifted easily. As he walked back onto Sasuke the three of them did their level best to glare daggers at him.

"Don't mind me, just checking something." he said with a smile, then the pushups resumed. He wondered if they were counting but he let them go five over ,just to see if they would. He was pleased when they did.

"Alright children!" he said clapping his hands "Break time!" all three of them collapsed, Naruto rolled on his side to let the rock slip away with a gasping breath and put his hands on his chest staring up at the sky. Sakura reached up and carefully flipped the bundle of branches off her back muttering in pain as she flexed her back carefully. Sasuke grunted from beneath kakashi's sandals. "I'm sorry?" Kakashi asked crouching down.

"Get off?" Sasuke asked in a tight voice. Kakashi smiled sweetly and reached down to pat Sasuke on the head, mostly because he knew the kid didn't like to be touched.

"What's the magic word~?" Kakashi asks musically.

"Get off, Sir?" Sasuke tries and Sakura sniggers quietly watching with her chin resting on her crossed arms.

"Nope, try again." Kakashi says patronizingly.

"get off, Please?" Sasuke tries, speaking nearly directly into the dirt.

Kakashi accepts this, abruptly standing back up, drawing a strangled groan from Sasuke and then stepping off him before crouching back down to give him a little pat on the back.

"There, that wasn't so hard was it, sweaty?" Kakashi asks as both Naruto and Sakura titter at him. Kakashi can almost hear the grinding teeth.

He stands back up and stretches a little rolling his head back. "Whew, my neck was getting a crick looking down at all of you for so long! Well, I'm sure you'll be quicker next time." Kakashi could hear the relief from all his students. "There's a stream nearby, go freshen up." he says stepping over to nudge Naruto with a toe right below the ribs. The boy recoiled even before the movement began but still gave a hurt look with thrust out lower lip to Kakashi. The three of them, huffing and shaking from exertion dragged themselves up to a standing position with the kind of popping and snapping of joints one would expect of the old or broken. It was music to Kakashi's ears, the sounds of real effort.

"Don't be too long, we have a nice long run around Konoha to do next, we didn't get back before noon yesterday, lets see if we can beat that time." he said, glancing at his watch and pulling out his book. "See you in… mah…. Ten minutes how about, I'll give you some extra slack, it is hotter today." he said and he actually felt the killing intent from his little gaggle of genin. It was gratifying to have one's efforts recognized.

* * *

At the stream Sakura gathered water in her hands and scrubbed at her face and arms. Sasuke drank greedily and Naruto, ever the oddball simply dunked his whole head underwater and held it there long enough both of his teammates started to grow worried before he whipped his head out with a gasp. "Ah!" he declared with a big smile and shining eyes.

"Drama queen." Sasuke says quietly wiping the dirt from his face where it had been pressed down, then moving on to his shirt. Sakura pulled off her headscarf and dunked it in the stream before tying it back on. She let out a sigh and took a few drinks herself though from a small canteen that she would refill and sip slowly. Naruto went and laid down in the stream crossing his hands on his chest.

"Sasuke, I don't care, this feel great, you have no idea." he says closing his bright blue eyes. Sasuke looked at Naruto a moment then looked at Sakura who seemed to be considering Naruto with a thoughtful frown then she too walked out into the stream and laid down with a shiver that quickly relaxed.

"Okay, I'm probably going to regret it when I stand up, but this is nice." Sakura says resting her hands on her stomach.

Sasuke stares at both of them, then reluctantly steps into the river and hesitantly lays down without a word.

"Yeah, okay, this isn't terrible." Sasuke admits after a minute in a small voice. Naruto's smile is broad as his head.

"Stop looking so smug, idiot." Sasuke says and Naruto's smile widens just fractionally.

"You can't stop me Sasuke." Naruto declares proudly.

"Both of you shut up!" Sakura barks. Both of them snap their traps, after the first two days they've learned to respect Sakura's anger, at least a little. When she's mad she's easily as strong as either of them, it is a tiny non-mystery. Her Chakra control is easily the best of all of them, proven on the very first day of training. The task kakashi set to them was completed by her in minutes where even after an hour the other five were struggling, Sasuke almost had it but none of the four Narutos were even close. They figured she was skilled enough to put some extra umph into her fists when she wanted to.

It was a trick neither of the others could do as well. Naruto secretly proud, Sasuke secretly jealous. Their talents didn't match up, but they were coming to see what each of them was good at. Laying in the stream, letting the cool water wash over their backs, the smooth stones and soft soil of the riverbed was relaxing, soothing on sore bodies. Before the pushups Kakashi had them doing reflex building activities and running through Kata until they were shaking. The academy was difficult. Kakashi, though, was a taskmaster of punishing proportion. Three days and he'd taught them only that he wanted them to fall asleep when their heads hit home clothed or not. He'd said he just wanted to see where they were.

"Well, look who's gotten comfortable." Kakashi said drifting down the stream standing on top of the water. "Let's go pipsqueaks." Kakashi said kicking a little water on Sasuke as he drifted past leaving the boy flailing and sputtering. Sasuke sputtered, throwing up his hands, "no way has it been fifteen minutes…." he said quietly.

"I thought that duck-tail would just shrug off water!" Naruto said sunnily of Sasuke's hair actually laying relatively flat. Sasuke responded by grabbing a handful of soft river soil and hurling it at Naruto who was already dodging, letting the soil hit Sakura right across the face where she'd sat up to watch. Her shocked expression quickly reddened into boiling anger as she jumped up to throw a power stroke of a punch at Naruto's back as the orange clad bandit giggled and started to run. Leaving Sasuke sitting in the river another moment, dripping. Kakashi looked up at the two who were already running toward the outer wall of Konoha and then down at Sasuke, "Well, I hope you're happy with last place, because you're letting them get away." Kakashi said with his little eye crinkle smile and leapt up into the foliage vanishing from Sasuke's sight as the Uchiha scrambled to his feet and sprinted to catch up with them.

* * *

"No, you know what, They're getting along alright, it just takes a little outside pressure." Kakashi says as his eye slides to the window. Hiruzen hm's quietly and sits up to bring his extinguished pipe to his lips for a long moment.

"Hm, and what is your judgement about the three of them individually?" the Hokage asked speculatively as he packed his pipe and lit it. Kakashi considered the question.

"Sasuke is driven. He pushes hard. Harder than he probably should. I'd say he's going to burn himself out, but between his motivations… I'm sure you've heard already. He's a perfectionist, takes criticism very badly. Pricklier than a cactus." Kakashi glanced to find Sarutobi looking back at him with a mirthful smirk. "Hmm?" he asked raising his eyebrow. Sarutobi just waved off the question.

* * *

"Sasuke! Slow down! We have to finish together or we'll have to do it again!" Sakura pleaded struggling to pick up the pace to keep up with Sasuke and Naruto. Sweat pouring down her face into her already soaked clothes.

"I don't have time to waste waiting for you. Push harder. Or don't, I don't care." He speaks evenly through the sweat, his eyes focused entirely ahead without slowing even minutely. Naruto looks back, running between them, a frown on his face looking at Sakura, as his face turns back to the front a vulpine grin is forming.

* * *

"And the other two?" He asked of Hatake. The Jonin considered again.

"Sakura might be the most intelligent little kid I've ever met. Her chakra control is phenomenal. Too bad she's got barely three drops of the stuff to play with. She's half the reason I've got them running physical drills." Kakashi says rolling his eye. "She's the slowest, the least tough. I'm pretty sure if not for that brain she'd have flunked out of the program. But a temper like a volcano. When she actually gets angry… gives me hope she will hold her own when the time comes." the Hokage didn't even shrug, he just inclined his head minutely.

"At least interacting with Sasuke is disabusing her of that little crush. I don't think he's living up to the dream she imagined. She's definitely the only thing keeping the other two in line, so I can't complain too hard." Kakashi said with a shrug.

* * *

"No, I'm not getting noodles for the third time this week, I didn't want them the second time, why would I go now?" Sasuke asked standing, back straight, staring down Naruto who was chest out glaring back sharply. Sakura sighed and hung her head.

"Kakashi-sensei wants us to be a team, Sasuke, why don't you make a suggestion where to eat together then?" she asks pleadingly, bringing her hands together. Sasuke's eyes narrowed, still glaring at Naruto.

"And spend more time with this doofus? I just ran around the entire village with him, the best reward would be getting away from him."

"You're just mad because you fell behind." Naruto says with a grin.

"I didn't expect a tripwire trap ahead of us. I wonder how it got there, I wonder!" Sasuke says hands curling into fists. Naruto shifts backward just a bit hands opening.

"I swear you two! No fighting! Or Sensei is going to make us run more! My legs will fall off if I have to go around again! Isn't two laps enough!?" Sakura asks now her hands are balling up into fists.

"Stay out of this Sakura!" Sasuke growls.

"Hey! Be nicer to her!" Naruto growls.

"I don't need either of you holding me back, if she can't hack it, she can drop out." He says without even looking at her, he hadn't spared her a glance this entire time, he heard a step toward him, but he was so focused on Naruto curling just slightly he didn't realize what the whipping air meant until the fist impacted the side of his head. He was so shocked that he didn't even land properly, he tasted blood in his mouth and blinked owlishly as he looked up at her, standing over him with a vicious expression.

"I'll drop you if you keep ignoring me!" Sakura roars, face alight with fury, at a volume and intensity usually reserved for Naruto standing over him like a colossus.

* * *

"Quite the handful, but what of your last student?" Hiruzen asks delicately. The squirrelly jonin shifts in his seat and then brings a hand up to his eye, then scratches his head then his chin.

"Naruto…." he trails off staring into the middle distance.

"He looks so much like him." Kakashi says softly, airily, the silence after that statement stretches on for several long moments.

"His taijutsu is a mess, his ninjutsu is barely passable, his chakra control is atrocious." Kakashi starts counting off on his fingers. "His social skills are abysmal, he literally seems like he is waiting for us all to turn on him and he has this vicious streak! I know he's had it rough, but this is far worse than I expected. He hides it pretty well." kakashi says dropping his hands by his sides. "And the worst of it is, the only way he seems to know how to deal with other people is trying to be funny! Emphasis on trying. He's worse than Obito ever was! And that guy was the most!" kakashi says slumping dramatically in his chair.

* * *

Naruto had been practicing, every night, obsessively. There was just so much to be done with this, he discretely formed a seal, just a small surge of chakra and two more of him appeared off the path to either side. So many applications, so many tricks. His smile got just a little colder as the other two really pushed, zipping ahead as quiet as they could and started setting the wires.

Once it was placed and bound the clones dispelled themselves leaving only the cloned wire. Sasuke didn't even think to look for it, he pitched forward, he managed to pull himself into a roll, but the cut from the fine wire across the front of his shin was bleeding pretty badly, the quickly dissipating mist of dispelling removing the only evidence as Naruto casually jogged past, "Trip on a rock or something? Be more careful."

Sakura didn't say a word, didn't even look down at Sasuke. It would have been more painful but for the way she was panting and huffing with each step as though only momentum were keeping her going.

Naruto heard the rustle of clothing and the tiniest sound of metal and ducked to the side evading where the Shuriken would have been if it wasn't being held by kakashi who was running backwards looking at Sasuke who was grinding his teeth.

"Ah, ah, ah Sasuke, temper." The Jonin said easily keeping pace running backward. "Someone's earning you all extra pushups tomorrow." Sakura let out a despairing noise as she tried to keep pace. Sasuke got back to his feet, quickly bound his bleeding shin and sprinted to catch back up for the second time, grinding his teeth, unable to see the spiteful grin on naruto's face.

* * *

"It seems to me that you have your work cut out for you, Hatake." the Hokage says, surrounded in a slight halo of smoke as he smirked good naturedly.

"There's a team in here, you can see flashes of it. They need some incentive to work together when I'm not hovering over them." He says considering quietly.

"Well, we can start them on D missions." Sarutobi says speculatively as Kakashi gives the Hokage a look.

"Give them someone else to disappoint." the Hokage speculates. Kakashi sighs.

"I suppose that's the next step."

* * *

"Guess what kids!" Kakashi says bringing his hands together in a sharp clap as his three students lean against each other doing wall sits against each other's back.

"What is it, ngh, Sensei?" Naruto asks because Sasuke is studiously ignoring Kakashi, and Sakura's legs are shaking and she keeps gasping and holding her breath against the pain in her legs.

"The Hokage wants us to do a little mission, won't that be fun?" at the word mission Sasuke's head snaps up and he starts to move a little, this unbalances Sakura whose legs spasm and they end up in a pile on the ground with her gasping on top and Naruto snickering.

"Maybe warn your teammate Sasuke?" Naruto asks sweetly as Sakura scrambles to get off them and stand up on trembling legs. All she seems to be able to say for herself is a long breathless stream of ow's. After a few deep breaths she'd gotten herself back under control.

"Shut up idiot." Sasuke mutters from the bottom as Naruto rolls effortlessly to his feet and Sasuke picks himself up.

"What's the, hu, mission sensei?" Sakura asks hands on her knees, nearly doubled over.

"I don't know, the Hokage wouldn't give it to just me, tradition and all that. Come along then, let's not keep him waiting." Kakashi says before turning around and walking at a speed that could be charitably described as unhurried. The three of them fell in behind him, Sakura filled with gratefulness, while Naruto bounced with impatience and Sasuke looked fierce. It was a long hour walk to the Hokage's tower and then they had to stand outside the door for another fifteen minutes while the Hokage finished up some other business. By this point Naruto was putting forth ridiculous ideas for what the mission was, Sasuke was seething with impatience and Sakura was blithely accepting the time sitting down and rubbing at her thighs while stretching and wiggling her toes.

"Naruto, shut up, there's no way we're going to rescue a princess from a snow castle guarded by ice ninjas. That's just not gonna happen!"

"It could! You don't know!" Naruto shoots back defensively, and in a moment the two boys are on their feet ready to come to blows, faces inches apart, looking for any excuse to explode into violence. Until they feel a hand on the back of each of their heads and their mouths press together with an impossibly iron grip holding them in an intimate liplock.

"Now Kiss." kakashi says, holding their faces together as they struggle. Looking exceptionally bored even as the chuunin guards grow increasingly tense by the door. Sakura can't help herself and just starts laughing as Kakshi lets go of their heads and fly apart and both land on the ground gagging and gasping like they'd been poisoned. Carrying on as the door opens and the Hokage stands looking down with a bemused expression. Kakashi raises a hand and Sakura snaps to attention instantly.

"Good morning, sir! Team Seven as requested." the Hokage checks the clock on the wall. As Naruto and Sasuke scramble furiously to their feet and snap to attention behind Kakashi

"It's one in the afternoon Kakashi, Only an hour and a half late." Sarutobi observes before turning around to walk into his office and sit in his chair as Team Seven walks in after him Naruto and Sasuke both furious and terribly red about the face and neck. Both manage to be silent as the door closes and the Chuunin outside finally break down into uproarious laughter for a few seconds. This only deepens the shade of red on both Naruto and Sasuke as they try to contain the frothing mixture of emotion inside them. If the Hokage notices he says nothing.

"Now then. You've had some time to come together, lets put you to work." he says smoothly, shifting papers on his desk, opening folders and setting them aside.

"Ah, yes." He says closing a folder and sliding it forward on his desk with a finger.

"Here's something, do not disappoint." he says with a faint smile as Sakura steps up to take the folder and steps back into the middle of the team to open it. As she does the Hokage watches the three genin closely.

Naruto is nearly bursting with excitement, as he reads it gutters a little, then seems to find a happy medium of excitement. Sakura reads with speed and seems to be considering the mission neutrally, her eyes narrow. Sasuke reads eagerly, though his face quickly pulls into a derisive frown. Kakashi is reading over Sakura's shoulder with a small smirk.

"A D-rank mission, a test of reliability if nothing else." the Hokage says matter-of-factly. "And it does need to be done. That's why they're willing to pay for it." The old man smiles and looks over them. "Have fun." he says

The four of them step out of the Hokage's office and Kakashi keeps them moving out onto the street, Naruto looks ready to go, Sakura more thoughtful, but Sasuke is pouting. Kakashi takes all of this in as they move to the newer part of town. To one of the higher apartment buildings. Taking the folder, Kakashi pointed them upward. "Well, here we are. We have two hundred windows to wash before nightfall." Kakashi says as Naruto squints up at the wall. "Wait, we didn't get any climbing gear." he says as Sakura brightens and Sasuke looks even more sullen. "Well then, I guess you get to learn a new trick to make it work!" Kakashi says bringing his hands together. "Buckets in the utility room around the side of the building. Should be open." he says walking into the alley as Naruto looks at Sakura who smiles broadly. "I know what we're learning!" she says running after Kakashi. Sasuke and Naruto share a look then dash after the others.

After they'd filled a few buckets, and gotten some rags and squeegees. Sakura looks excited as Kakashi walks up to the wall and then, without breaking stride walked up the wall a few steps, turning around to look down at his students. Naruto suddenly looked to be practically vibrating with excitement, Sasuke had broken out of his pout and looked on with a look of intense focus.

"The principle is simple, you channel chakra to your feet, just enough to make you stick without trapping you to the surface, you then let it go and rechannel it for each step. Eventually it will be automatic." Kakashi says walking back down with his hands in his pockets as the three of them contemplate the wall. "We have all day." Kakashi elaborates with a smile.

Turns out, they needed all day. Well, Sakura didn't. She had worked out how it worked within about fifteen minutes and then tried to help the boys. Sasuke could make it a few steps, but then his concentration would falter, or his skill would slip and he'd end up on his butt on the concrete. Naruto was worse. He'd managed to stick, but so firmly he couldn't walk, forcing a kind of crab walk that was ludacris looking as it was impractical. He'd rubbed it in Sasuke's face until Sakura had given him a swift swat on the head from a casual walk. Shockingly Sasuke figured the trick of it before Naruto even though the latter had gotten the basic of it first. Kakashi meanwhile was sitting on the underside of a balcony pointing out that if they couldn't walk up the wall, they could climb the brick exterior like normal people but those windows needed to be washed and it was already nearing sixteen hundred. So unless they wanted to wash in the dark they needed to pick up the pace.

Naruto ended up climbing, needless to say while Sakura and Sasuke cleaned the out-facing windows, Naruto washed the large sliding glass doors. He definitely seemed grumpy as they worked into the darkness of early evening, only finishing after the sun had truly set.

Kakashi marked off their folder and vanished in a swirl of leaves mentioning that he'd see them tomorrow for training as usual. They parted ways after sharing a look between themselves. This had been a grueling day. And not only for receiving their first mission and it being such a let down but for running themselves ragged all day then doing something chakra intensive and important. Sasuke didn't let on, but both Naruto and Sakura had been learning to notice when he was trying to pretend he wasn't tired. Sakura made no secret, Naruto was the only one who seemed to be perky by the end of the day, but even he looked a bit worse for wear. They parted with a nod. It was, overall, a good day.

* * *

_A/N: I'm not totally sure I like how this chapter turned out. It feels like I may have jumped about a bit. The characters aren't quite doing what I want them to do. Next chapter is going to have to be a doozie to fit what I want in it._

_If you have any suggestions, or merely some things you don't think are working, please drop me a review and tell me. Trying to improve without outside input is like trying to drive without hands, possible, but you're really making it hard on yourself._

within the next 2 chapters we should be in Wave. I hope you're as excited as I am.


	6. Fight or Flight

A/N: Here it is, the leadup to Wave, a little drama, a little action, a little more character development. I am excited for the next chapter.

To Lizzie, thank you for your criticism, I tried to give a little more detail in this chapter. If it is still lacking, please do tell. I also get very frustrated with stories where the characters do not really develop on screen so to speak, or develop new abilities on the fly with no leadup. It's pretty endemic to Shonen series as a whole. I try to avoid it. If someone is going to do something new, there will be hints. I haven't really talked about the Dojutsu yet, that's still on the docket. The Sharingan in the original series is a dues ex machina, it did whatever it needed to to push the plot along. It will be far more limited in this story, that is a promise.

On the note of Sakura, people continually note that she would be an excellent Genjutsu user, but I have literally never seen a story where she actually uses it much, or really where Genjutsu features much at all. You will probably see a lot of it. It is a rich field that is underutilized in what is possible with it.

But I digress, enjoy the chapter.

* * *

Amazing what you can find in the dark, meetings meant to be unseen, rendezvous run long, sadness, anger. In a village where one should feel safe, there was never a moment without eyes upon you. Naruto knew this well. He'd been watched since he was so young that he was used to the idea. It wasn't until he was old enough to attend the academy, the only thing he ever asked his Grandfather for that he finally learned the rudiments. For a child with nothing but time, he learned skills well, deeply, so deep that even those whose watch should be unbreakable slid away from him from time to time.

It was in these moments that he felt really free. When he was truly alone with himself, when he could have a frank discussion with himself. Everybody has a little voice in their head, it tells them to kill over every slight and explode at every opportunity. Naruto's was a touch more powerful than many. It was persistent, not just a momentary thing, not an impulse. No it remembered the faces, remembered the words, and whenever he had a moment, it reminded him of those who needed to be punished. It was no shock that he would turn to mischief. No one had ever asked why he was a prankster, he'd heard many theories amongst the various lecturers. None had ever quite gotten him right. Sure, the recognition, sure the joy of doing something, sure the attention, but none of them really talked about the vengeance. It was a way to quiet that little voice in his mind, some measure of comeuppance was needed. It was desperately hard to forgive, and he certainly couldn't forget.

He tightened the string and checked the leaf spring one last time to assure it was on a hair trigger. The smile in the darkness of pre-dawn was a show of teeth. He slipped out of the store that had tried to swindle him just yesterday. He was cautious, not a hair out of place, not a noise to be heard, all the parts were cast off, collected from garbage or vanished from around the city. He took nothing from the shop, not a single coin, not a single bit of damage. A carefully covered lid on a bucket of salted water. Then he locked all the doors, just as they were, from the inside, and dispelled himself.

Back at home the real Naruto smiled cooly. Since graduating the academy he liked to play that he was tired, he gave up his visible pranking, letting go of the show, he would get his recognition soon enough after all, he was on the path to greatness. But that didn't mean he would give up on the list. He sat beside himself, a good night's sleep would get him up to fighting fit. But his nights were full of other things. And now that there were so many of him, he could expand his operations. Tonight there were six of him out there, four on practice, learning tricks and refining his skills. Two were here with him, studying. Being able to read many books at once, he had so much on his mind even as his main body slept his clones pushed on, growing tired and weary but knowing they were temporary and the gains they made so deliciously permanent. He had so much catching up to do. So far to go. That toothy, predatory smile spread across every pair of cheeks as something red shivered through the air.

* * *

Sasuke stood over the stove in the kitchen of the orphanage, he could afford better food, so that is where his money went while the inheritance of his clan was held in trust. He cooked in silence as he heard his cousins playing in the other room with the other children. He stirred slowly, improvising some curry, he had to avoid the spice he usually put in it, his cousins didn't have the taste for heat he did. He smiled at their shrieking, "Dinner!" he shouted and the shrieking stopped and a riot of feet headed for the table, he filled four bowls, one for whoever they were playing with. But his mind was elsewhere, on his team, on his future.

Dinner was loud, he let his cousins tell him about their day with half an ear. He was tired. He put his all into training with his team. It was physically exhausting, he wasn't hitting his limits though. So as he left his cousins to clean up after dinner, he went outside to practice his techniques, Fire was the weapon of the Uchiha he would master every technique he knew.

He quickly moved on to practicing his Kata. His family's Taijutsu was built around their unique Dojutsu. Made to be reactive, to use power moves to counter, a reactive style that focused on turning any small gap into an advantage, on acting decisively on a mistake almost before it was made. Once he had run through them until he was shaking then he would push his body to exhaustion, or so near it didn't matter.

He would throw weapons until his hands shook, practice with wire until his arms ached and his hands were covered in fine cuts. He would walk up and down trees, leap and climb until the small burst of controlled chakra was becoming second nature. He had so much further to get. He wasn't even where his brother had been at his age.

That knowledge pushed him on. When his legs burned from running and jumping, when his heart pounded from channeling, doing chin ups, doing standing situps from the underside of a tree branch. He had taken too long to complete his set, he let too much energy away from him in his channeling exercises. There was always room for improvement. He wasn't perfect. He needed to be.

It all rested on his shoulders, and every time he looked at his cousins, that feeling got a little heavier. It drove him, obsessively. An avenger was what he needed to be. Not for himself, not anymore. The pain of loss was so immense he couldn't even really process it. He couldn't think about that night without closing up. For them, though, he would revive the Uchiha. He couldn't afford to burn bridges, so he was cool, but kind to the civilians running the orphanage, he obeyed the rules, he stayed out of the Uchiha estate. Though his heart had never left its forlorn halls.

There were only ghosts there now, and they stared at him, through the walls, with spinning red filled eyes.

* * *

Sakura stood firm, her muscles cramped and burning every day, she fell asleep more often that not with her face on the page of a book. Her makeup routine had fallen away, her hair had lost its luster, her eyes were tired, but hardening. Where once was soft grass, now emerald. Her svelte form was giving way to something else, and quickly. She noticed every time she looked at herself in the mirror. She had been adequately muscled in the academy, but she had never pushed too seriously at it. Now she stood in her pajamas in front of the mirror, hands running over her muscles. She wasn't delicate anymore. As her fingers ran over the slight definition forming on her abdomen her brain filled in each muscle's name. Tracing the major veins and arteries, the organs. Her brain was never quiet. Not even when she was asleep. It took a long time for her to get to sleep in the academy, she'd spent that time reading, which only made it harder to sleep. Once, she had concealed the dark circles with makeup. Now hers matched her sensei. Kakashi pushed so hard. Whenever they trained she felt like she was being judged. It was hurtful, it made her want to cry, the boys could always keep going longer, Sasuke would slow, sometimes even falter, but he never stopped. Naruto barely even faltered, it was like he was inexhaustible. Nearly every day she had found herself face down in the dirt at least once, gasping for breath that wouldn't come. It wasn't fair. She'd landed on Sasuke's team, this was supposed to be her victory, but he didn't even want to look at her. He watched that stupid menace every chance he got, looking for the next slight, the next thing to fight and argue over. He would only look at her when she hit him, when she threatened him, or when she made a mistake, and then only in fear or derision. Sakura sank down to the floor, hugging her knees looking at herself in the mirror, staring back into her tired eyes as she gripped her pajama bottoms

"He only notices strong people." she says softly. It was a puzzle. Naruto was a puzzle, Kakashi was a puzzle. This whole month had been a puzzle. A D-rank mission every few days, used as a tool to reinforce a skill or teach a basic technique, always an opportunity to impart some lesson some small grain of insight. Kakashi was teaching them to look for the truth beneath the obvious. She could see it even if her teammates got lost in the surface. Underneath the underneath, when most people thought they saw the reason for things, they stopped looking. She didn't, not anymore. She was better than Sasuke or Naruto at the techniques and skills they've been learning because of it. Wall walking, water walking, high jumps, they'd even been slowly learning how to trickle chakra past the natural flow to limbs to make feats of strength and speed easier. That though was by far the most difficult. Requiring splitting attention at a time it could not afford to be split in the least. Learning to draw on strength in more than controlled bursts. She flexed her coils pulling at her energy to her arms and legs. Her chakra was sluggish in responding, the normal flow of warmth and energy was just a shadow of itself. She had run herself nearly to depletion today, though Kakashi called a stop before she was metaphorically wringing mud for moisture from her pool. She had gotten home and wanted nothing more than to collapse, but she had made dinner instead. She should go to sleep so she can make lunch for herself tomorrow morning.

The thought of training brought her attention back to her face in the mirror. She had a fairly painful bruise on her cheek from a moment of distraction during a bout, it was ugly and swollen and discolored. The blow had rattled her brain and laid her out so fully that Kakashi had demonstrated a healing chakra technique to ensure her brain wasn't bleeding but had still left the bruise. She still felt a little fuzzy about the whole thing, it was hazy in her head. She sighed staring back at herself.

She was stronger than she'd ever been, but she was still the weakest. Naruto's form was worse, but his skill at fighting dirty was better. She'd remarked on it, but Kakashi had just laughed and told her to fight dirtier. She clenched her jaw and stood up to head to bed, picking up a small book on genjutsu theory she'd found. More of a primer than a real text on the subject, but it was something she was going to ask Kakashi about. If she were lucky he might even let her try it.

She needed to find her place, her niche. She couldn't just be dragged along. She would not just stand behind.

She had been Ino's shadow, she had been her parent's shadow, she had been the teacher's shadow. Now she wanted, so desperately, to step into the light.

* * *

"Good morning my cute little genin." Kakashi said landing silently in the midst of them. To their credit, none of them jumped, they all just pivoted like they were expecting the words to be followed by an attack. Good, they were learning. He smiled privately. "So, who's ready to learn something important?" kakashi asks raising his hand and scanning his genin. It takes a moment before all three hands hesitantly raise. "Excellent."

"Here!" Kakashi said brandishing three small slips of rough paper. "Everybody gets one!" he handed one to Sakura and Naruto then held up the last one, Sasuke's eyes narrowed but he said nothing.

"This is no ordinary paper. Today we'll be learning something External. But to choose what would best suit you, I want you to channel chakra into the paper, it will react to any natural affinity your chakra has." Kakashi explained slowly looking each of his students in the eye to ensure they understand. He watched as Naruto frowned in concentration and the paper got a faint sheen then neatly split with a fluttering leaving Naruto looking surprised.

"I didn't do that!" he says quickly, getting a huff of laughter from Sakura and Sasuke, Kakashi smiles with good nature.

"Yes you did." Kakashi said smoothly, "So, Sakura, what happened?" he asks her with his smirking face, and her eyes go wide and her face smooths in thought.

"Um, he has an affinity… It's um…. Wind?" She asks more than states and kakashi turns back to Naruto.

"Yup, You have a wind affinity. It means techniques that focus on wind chakra will come more easily to you and take fewer hand signs down the road." Kakashi clarifies as he turns to Sasuke and hands over the little piece of paper.

"Why don't they test this in the academy?" Sasuke asks sullenly as he glares at the paper that suddenly crinkles up as though he'd balled it in his hand. Then the paper while Sasuke glares at it witheringly bursts into flame.

"What." he asks in surprise. Kakashi smirks.

"Lucky boy, two natural affinities. That will be a large advantage as you grow. I've got three under my belt, but it took a lot of work for the other two." kakashi explains as Sakura focuses on her paper with a mask of concentration and after a moment where the boys have already started arguing about elemental nature Sakura's paper disintegrates into dust, making her gasp.

"Would be earth." Kakashi says quietly. This draws Naruto's attention where he flashes a bright smile for Sakura and a thumbs up. Sasuke looks unimpressed and has his attention on Kakashi.

"So if we share an affinity, you should be able to pass on a lot of techniques." Sasuke says with a look in his eye.

"Maah….. Well maybe one." he says with a glance to the side ghosting past Sakura.

Three hours passed in a flash as Kakashi set each of them to an External technique. It was time he gave them a new tool. They were each given something suited to them. Sasuke was given the least, a technique for hiding evidence. A swirl of chakra and evidence of a camp could be made to disappear into the earth.

"You couldn't even give me a lightning technique?" Sasuke had griped, Kakashi had not deigned to respond at all once he was sure that the hand signs were right. Kakashi slid over to Naruto who was struggling with a fairly simple technique.

Naruto whipped through the hand signs and then thrust his hands out and a sudden squall whipped a few leaves off the trees but it definitely wasn't a cutting blade of chakra.

"Use your head Naruto, not just your hands." Kakashi said walking by without stopping as he walked by Sakura who was sitting with a handsign resting in her lap, eyes closed.

"Ready to try it?" he asked with his hands in his pockets, head cocked. Sakura's eyes snapped open and she looked up at Kakashi.

"As ready as I'm gonna be." she said and stood up, flashing through a few hand signs and then she was gone, and he had the subtle feeling of being alone. He smiled to himself and looked around himself starting to just walk in any old direction. He wandered for about a minute before he brought his hands up and with a moment held his breath and suppressed his Chakra into absolute stillness for an instant and felt the Illusion shatter.

"Di…. did it work?" Sakura asked her face a mask of concentration.

"Yes, you successfully performed the Lonely Watch technique." He said offering a little eye crinkling smile. She threw up a fist with a quiet sound and performed a few seconds of victory dance. She deserved it, that was after all her fortieth attempt.

"Alright! Now I just need to be able to do it while doing literally anything else." Sakura said one hand up in the air that dropped as she drooped and let out an exhausted sigh.

"Think of it this way. You could be burying trash." he said with another smile and this got a titter out of her and a distant growl of frustration.

* * *

A month is a long time, especially when each day is a trial. Under Sharingan Kakashi there was little potential for breaks, or to catch one's breath, he always seemed to know when one of them was going to fall apart. He'd push them right up to the limit. Usually it was Sakura, but sometimes it was actually Sasuke. He pushed so hard, threw his everything at every task set to him. So eager to try himself. No matter how small the challenge, ultimately anything that could be used to test himself against. Naruto was the only one who's limits were never quite found. He was sweating and fighting and struggling with the other two, but he was never on the ground with them. It made Sasuke angry, it made Sakura disheartened and suspicious. She waited one day for training to be over, their day off was tomorrow so she felt safe trying for it. Sasuke was gone as soon as the team meeting was over. Leaving Naruto walking slowly away ambling off to whatever trouble he chose to create in his free time. Sakura followed him a little ways before she got her nerves together to ask.

"Naruto!" she said running up. The yellow clad boy turned with an appraising look that morphed into a smirk.

"Oh! Sakura! Finally taking me up on that date offer?" he asks with a massive grin. Sakura's eyes narrow and her hands ball into fists and Naruto holds up his hands in surrender. She rolls her eyes and pulls off her headscarf.

"I… um." she starts. She knew what she wanted to ask, it was just a few words just ask the stupid question and be over with it. It took a deep breath for her to try again, Naruto for his part just waited with a pensive look on his face.

"What's your secret." she asked and Naruto recoiled just slightly, his face tightening. She quickly continued.

"You are never as beaten up as either of us, you run just as hard, so why aren't you completely smashed out every day, I still hear about you causing havoc all over Konoha, even more than when you were in the academy!" she says throwing up her arms.

"I can barely stand most nights from how hard Kakashi-sensei works us! What's your secret!? It's the noodles isn't it." she finishes with a grim kind of suspicion. Naruto waves his arms.

"I don't have a secret! I'm um… just really good at running… and jumping. And like, muscle stuff." he says lamely listing and looking kind of shifty.

"I don't believe you. I'm going to figure out your secret." she says poking him in the chest. Naruto smiled but it is more strained.

"Ahh…. Sakura, how about I just buy you dinner and we forget about my not-real secrets?" he asks with an actually forced smile. Hang around someone every day for a month and you learn to recognize at least some of their quirks.

"I have more money than you idiot. I know you're an orphan, and you have your own apartment." she says and then realizes what she said. Naruto's eyebrows went up.

"I… heh, you're probably wondering how I know that…?" she says her face going the same color as her hair. Naruto looks like he's about to say something so she cuts him off.

"We're ninja, I was curious. Sasuke lives at the Orphanage, with his last two cousins." they both were quiet for a moment before she continued. "... a-and I got curious. Because I thought he lived in the Uchiha estate, it's like, a huge walled off place with like five big old houses. So that made me curious about where you were because I asked about you there, and they, um, told me you'd moved out somewhere. The old lady in charge was very nice but she got a… um… look about here when I brought up you." Sakura said and then her brows narrowed.

"Honestly, a lot of older people get that look, and you can't have pranked them all." she says her brain locking onto this little inconsistency not because it was especially interesting but because of what it did to Naruto. He went very still, like he faded into the background for a moment, but in his eyes was something else.

There was a flash of something buried, in that moment. She'd seen Naruto act petulantly angry and childish before. But that moment might have been the first real flash of anger. Being around Naruto was always a little strange, there was always something about him that was just a little off, and not just because he was a goofy person or a little socially awkward, it went deeper.

When she brought up the anger of the older generation in that moment her skin crawled like it were trying tear itself free to flee away from him, every hair on her body stood on end as though they could tug themselves out to escape. It was terrifying, her heart was pounding and she broke out into a sweat. The worst though, were the eyes. She was looking right in his eye when she spoke and for just a moment his normally sky blue eyes went a deep, dark purple. Something smoldered and raged deep within him.

"Maybe they deserved it." he said in a tight, quiet voice. There was so much menace packed into those words, so much anger. It was chilling, she couldn't say anything she was frozen on the spot, heart hammering as the feeling faded and she tried to decide if she needed to run. Naruto though deflated and sagged visibly.

"I… I didn't mean to get mad. It's not your fault." he says putting on a smile and scratching the back of his head. Her brain whirled at the whiplash of this moment.

"Sakura?" he asked and he reached out to her, but as he did she flinched a step back. His hand pulled back and he got such a hurt look. It was hard to reconcile that moment of utter terror with the current reality of this injured young man. She wasn't entirely sure she had even remembered it and not just lapsed into some kind of momentary psychosis.

"Wh~!" she broke out of her paralysis and stumbled back a step. "What was that!?" she whispered her eyes wide like a cornered rabbit.

"What was what?" Naruto asked innocently, looking confused and shrinking back like he was afraid of being struck.

"That!? That feeling! It was awful! Like something was going to eat me!" she yelled and Naruto flinched, teeth gritted.

"I'm not going to eat anyone…" he says softly and she realizes suddenly she's screaming at him.

"Naruto, what is your secret…?" she asked again in a bare whisper. Staring at him with a terrible intensity.

"I'm not a monster!" Naruto shouts and before she can even respond he's gone at top speed. She's left standing there flummoxed. Her first instinct is to follow him. But she can't even keep up with him when he's not trying to outrun her. She ends up standing there in the street at dusk.

The walk home feels a lot longer than normal. Her house feels colder. She feels terrible, both from the gushing adrenaline that has finally worked its way fully out of her system and for the look she remembers carved into Naruto's face and the tears she is sure she didn't imagine.

* * *

Kakashi watched his three genin train, they were each walking up trees while throwing ninja tools at targets. Any that missed the bullseye got thrown back at them. It was a useful exercise. However there was something off. Naruto was distracted, he'd mastered tree walking a week ago, but he kept pulling away bark from the tree he was walking on, Kakashi decided not to say anything about it.

Sakura was even more of a mystery, she was far more on point than usual. Her whole focus was on the task in front of her. Kakashi didn't know if he'd ever seen her focus on the present like that. Her head was always on three or four things. He was pretty sure she couldn't help it, but to see her acting as mechanical as Sasuke was a little worrisome.

He let it go. It would either resolve itself, or more clues would present themselves.

An hour later and more clues had presented themselves. Namely that Sakura and Naruto were not on speaking terms. This was unusual. The two of them had been growing a little closer. Mostly to gang up on Sasuke who seemed to cherish the attention in his peculiar way. Naruto put a lot of effort into being likable. His lack of success hardly fully his own fault. Sakura had been willing enough to allow him to hover around her, his little attraction to someone who didn't push him away immediately had helped her low self-esteem some.

It had been something Kakashi had been happy to subtly encourage. To see it shatter was unpleasant. In order to ask either about it he'd have to acknowledge he'd been meddling. He wasn't going to do that. So instead he sulked a little privately and watched. He had spoken to the Hokage about taking on a real mission last week and knew something was coming down the pipes at them. He hoped this little setback wouldn't spoil their chances at success.

* * *

"A C-Rank mission." the Hokage pronounced as he slid the folder across his desk, it looked much the same as all the others, but there was a different energy about it. Sasuke was the first to reach for it. Standing in the middle of the three of them he opened it up and started to parse it as two curious pairs of eyes peeked over his shoulders.

"Escort?" Sakura asked as Naruto frowned thoughtfully.

"Yes. The details are all there. The bridge builder fears bandits, and not without reason. He is returning from a trip to the capital to buy supplies to finish a very valuable new crossing for the land of waves. Banditry is fairly endemic to the region because of the impoverished economic conditions. Our scouts have collected a little information about the location and the bridge builder himself. In addition, you will see tickets for the forward from the mission payout. You will meet this Tazuna at a checkpoint near the capital and escort him to his home in Wave, then watch over him until the bridge is complete. It should be about a week." the Hokage summarized the legalese that the mission report was written in.

"The forward?" Naruto asked quietly. Sasuke spoke up, being the only one from a ninja family to have context for this kind of thing.

"Higher ranked missions forward a percent of the mission pay up front to allow the team to get any supplies or necessities they deem important to the mission. Do either of you have full outdoor kit to bring with you?" he asked sharply his eyes sliding to each side, Sakura nodded absently but Naruto looked a little chagrined.

"Ahhh….. No, sorry, wouldn't even know what to get!" he says with a chuckle and a smile. The Hokage chuckled as well.

"Seems your teammate needs you assistance then." Sarutobi said turning his pipe over in his hand dexterously. Sasuke and Naruto shared a look. And Kakashi slowly put his hands on the sides of their heads and started to push them together.

"Friiiiiiiiends~!" he said in a sweet voice, both boys remembered last time and started fighting the iron grip of their sensei.

"Fine! I'll help you, you have time when we leave here!?" Sasuke asked at a slightly panicked volume.

"Yeah, free all day, I'd love to have your help!" Naruto answered in a similar volume, very quickly. Their antics getting a laugh from both adults and a titter from Sakura as well. Kakashi decided they'd gotten the message and let their heads go. He spared a glance for Sakura who was studiously avoiding looking at Naruto. He took a subtle breath as Sarutobi followed his gaze and huffed quietly.

"You are dismissed. You leave tomorrow at dawn." the Hokage pronounced and all four of them left in haste.

The Hokage watched the four of them leave with a quiet feeling of foreboding. He tried to let it go, but it hung around him like a cloud. He put the pipe down, having lost interest. He looked over the mission details one more time to assuage his fear. It was a routine mission against the most minimal of potential enemies.

He sat in silence a while, looking out the window.

"Good luck." he said softly before pulling up some proposal or another from the council and tried to put it out of his mind.

* * *

A/N: Wave, as promised. I have weird hangups about the hidden village system. It might come up later. or I might add a chapter that is just background things that don't really come up but will help understand the context of my version of this reality.

Please take the time to leave a review. I want to improve my writing skill, but I'm not very good at recognizing my own flaws. Thank you to those of you who take the time to tell me your thoughts or ideas. I hope you continue to enjoy my work even if you do not review. That people enjoy the story is ultimately enough for me.


	7. Pack Tactics

A/N: It is very hot where I live, I work outside. Very uncomfortable. Also, turns out Tazuna is really hard to write. I got a little stymied when I went to write this chapter, because I realized that what I had planned for Wave doesn't really work with what I have now, so I needed to so some replanning. However, here we are. Welcome to Wave, where the action picks up and we get to see a little more of the world. Expect a rather different trip.

Lizzie; it always seemed strange to me that they wouldn't do something like test elemental affinities, it's not even difficult or particularly time consuming to do. So I decided that kakashi, being the master of so many skills he is, would decide to throw his kids a bone, a technique, and a little knowledge about themselves.

RedSoleil: thank you for the praise, I'm trying to improve as much as I can, but the act of practicing itself does most of the work. I'm not sure if this chapter is a step forward or a step back. Unfortunately it took so long I fell out of the rut a bit.

* * *

The morning came all too quickly. Three genin stood in a loose group near the main gate, naruto leaning against the wall, Sasuke sitting on a bench elbows on knees, Sakura stood in the middle of the street holding her elbows, all with a fairly sturdy pack within easy reach. The only missing piece appeared a moment later, leaping from the nearby buildings and landing easy.

"Good, everyone made it. Did you have fun with your little shopping trip?" he asked with a smile to Naruto and Sasuke who glared at each other but didn't say a word. Both mouths drew into thin lines. It would be too much to ask Kakashi supposed, for them to suddenly get over their rivalry like that. Sakura waved at him as he approached. The three did look quite different to Kakashi's eyes. Sakura had abandoned her training dresses, instead opting for a pair of cloth pants, a light jacket over a long sleeved shirt, her hair tied up under a scarf as usual.

Sasuke had left his branded shirt at home, dressed as he usually did otherwise. It was odd to see him without a fan on him somewhere. But otherwise he was as he always was, relatively professional for a tween.

Naruto though was the most dramatically different. It took Kakashi a moment to process the change. The boy, usually about as visible as a road crew at noon had apparently been talked into more appropriate attire. A charcoal grey and forest green jacket, festooned with pockets, pants of a similar color, and the only nod to his usual fashion sense, a turtle necked long sleeved shirt that was orange, but so dark it was nearly brown. The three had started to follow him but he paused bringing all of them up short.

"Naruto, good decision." he opted for the most terse praise he could and watched carefully as Sasuke shot him a small, self-satisfied smirk. Naruto pouted, it wasn't as dramatic a pout as some of his others, but it was definitely a pout, bottom lip stuck out and everything.

"Thanks, Sensei…" Naruto said as Sasuke stood a little taller.

"It's nice to see you deciding to be as sensible as Sakura." He added with a sidelong glance at the kunoichi who colored slightly. Sasuke stuffed his hands in his pockets.

The bags all matched, but there were not that many actually practical tool sellers in Konoha, so they had likely all bought from the same shop. Each though had a little nod to its owner. Sasuke's was older, clearly something possessed before this week, it was slightly frayed and there was some stitching where the bag had been sliced at some point. Sakura's had been arranged neatly, it had two identifying colored tape bands on the handle, making it easily recognized in a pinch. Naruto's had a small frog chain attached to it. Odd, but then again, the boy himself was pretty odd.

Nonetheless they made it out of Konoha before dawn and started south. Konoha, despite its size was still a hidden village, and like all of them it had its defenses against invasion. The first and probably most powerful was the forest itself. Konoha's trees were a powerful barrier, endless woods stretching for miles in every direction, full of dangerous creatures and natural hazards. However there was another more subtle layer. The entire forest was grown by the power and the will of a single man and his clan. The Senju Mokuton bloodline grew this forest and shaped it. It still acted on his will nearly half a century later. The trees shifted and groaned. Their branches wove a vast genjutsu that disoriented and confused. It pushed people away from the village, only those born to the city would be unmolested by the trees. Even along the roads people would find themselves turned around, traveling backward or become aware they had stepped into the woods. Many were lost every year, simply vanishing into the trees, never to be heard from again. It took a powerful will to break the spell and keep a straight path. Going out was luckily much more simple than going in.

They pushed out to a small outpost, just an inn, dispatch station, and tavern really. It was a place where horses could rest, merchants could water themselves and the capital could move its troops to needed positions in a hurry. Team 7 approached quickly, having moved through the trees with great haste, arriving at the inn just as the sun was dawning. Naruto's eyes were open wide, though nothing was truly different about this place it was the first time he had set foot outside Konoha. Sasuke was more practical about his interests, inspecting the tiny outpost with a critical eye. Sakura seemed at ease. She looked at the place with a kind of familiarity that was surprising to Kakashi until he considered who this little pink haired girl was. She was the daughter of merchants, traveling merchants no less. Born to Konoha, but bringing it's tools and goods to the world and bringing back exotics and wealth to their home.

They dropped to the ground and walked into the outpost past the conscripts manning the gate. Kakashi raised a hand in greeting and received a salute from the soldiers. This caught Naruto's attention as well as Sakura's, neither said anything about it. They moved into the inn and Kakashi spoke to the man standing at the front entrance softly enquiring about their charge. The man shook his head and pointed next door to the tavern. Sasuke huffed quietly, though Naruto and Sakura's expressions were carefully neutral.

They step into the tavern and even as the door is opened the smell of tobacco, alcohol, and less savory smells mingle with the thick smell of humanity. A small, hot, smoky room with about a dozen grizzled people in it, a few sets of eyes follow the Jonin and his three charges as they move across the room purposefully to a single individual who is sitting with a bottle next to him, quietly staring at the countertop. He was a solid looking man, just a bit of paunch to him that vanished when he sat up straight and turned at a tap on the shoulder by Kakashi.

He was serious faced with an appraising look, the faint blush of alcohol hovering on his rugged face. He offered a tight, toothless smile to Kakashi. "Ah, you must be the help?" he said with a note of hope, though as he looked past Kakashi to the genin he frowned and his eyes narrowed.

"Kids?" he asked derisively. All three of them bristled a bit, though Sakura showed the least. Kakashi pointed over his shoulder to the door with a smile. "Let's take this outside." he said gently and the weathered laborer stood with a grunt leaving the small pile of one ryo coins behind. Coming out into the light of the day just after dawn the older man shields his eyes with a hand and looks toward the sun. "huh, later than I thought." he mutters as Kakashi and the genin team sweep out behind him, the three new minted shinobi with various levels of sour expressions on their faces. Tazuna turns around with his hands on his hips.

"Well let's get this show on the road." he said, clearly addressing Kakashi. Outside the smell of alcohol still lingered about the man, but he walked steadily and carried his pack with ease. He looked quite dissatisfied, but Kakashi didn't say anything so the three others didn't either. Spreading out some on the road as they walked. They had a full day of travel ahead of them.

* * *

After about four hours of travel Tazuna called a stop.

"Why are we stopping, did you forget something?" Naruto asked still mildly tart from the poor first impression.

"No, I'm an old man, kid. We get tired. I'm already worried because I paid for a team of shinobi and I got one shinobi and three brats." the man said pulling up a canteen that Naruto's nose caught a whiff of alcohol from.

"Hey! We're Shinobi, you see this Hitai-ite!? They don't give these out for nothing old man!" he said pointing with both hands at his headband. The old man scoffed.

"I'm sure they don't." the old man said sharply and took another drink, ignoring Naruto who growled and hovered nearby. Kakashi had vanished the second the stop was called. Sasuke had taken the opportunity to lean against a tree dramatically and watch the ongoing with mild interest. Sakura stood behind the tree the bridgebuilder was sitting against with a delicate frown on her face, she made a gagging pantomime when the man talked and pinched her nose. Sasuke let out a soft huff of breath. This seemed to brighten Naruto just enough to snap his mouth shut.

* * *

Before too long they were on the move again, the ninja slowed to a stately walk by the older man who absolutely refused all subtle efforts to speed the pace. He called two more stops throughout the day to take a drink and take a few minutes to sit. Kakashi hovered nearby, saying nothing, merely hovering like a grim shadow. The tension of the group was at an all time high, with Sakura and Naruto not speaking it was nearly stifling. Sasuke was hardly one to speak for no reason, and Kakashi seemed to be waiting for something. It was painful. By the time the night had come and the darkness was falling over the woods of fire country the division of labor was easy. Sasuke was put to setting up the tents while Sakura went for water and a little forage while Naruto dug a fire pit, found timber for the fire, dug a latrine, and assisted with the tents, all at the same time. Tazuna was struck speechless for the first time when he saw six of the same blonde kid walking around like it was nothing. Though none of Team 7 thought it odd, it was conspicuous that Tazuna shoved the bottle of alcohol into his pack after that sight.

Still, the end of day camp setting was an opening. Away from the camp, Sakura knelt beside Naruto gathering water for all their canteens.

"I'm sorry." Sakura said softly, so quickly it was almost a squeak. Naruto had his head down toward the water, it snapped up with a look of shock.

"Huh?" he asked seemingly startled out of some daydream.

"I'm sorry for yesterday!" she said more desperately, still keeping her voice down. "I don't think you're a monster, I never called you that… I was just… Scared." she said crouched down by the water, staring at her toes. There was a long beat of silence, Sakura was afraid to look up for fear of what Naruto's face would look like, it shocked her when she heard a stifled sniffle. She chanced a glance at Naruto's face. She saw him staring down into the water, he looked like he was in tremendous pain. His breathing was coming in short gasps, though he seemed stable. She slowly reached out a hand and touched his arm. He jumped, falling back on the ground and the dam broke tears pouring down his face.

"I was so scared!" Naruto sobbed. It was such a feeling that Sakura felt her eyes misting up in sympathy.

"Why?" she asked quietly, uncomprehending.

"Because... every other time... I-I got mad… They'd hate me, or run!" he said through a cracking voice. And Sakura looked at Naruto in a new light, in the fading shadows of dusk. She saw past the pranks, past the cunning, past the awkwardness. She saw in that moment something genuine. She couldn't think of anything to say, so she offered a lopsided little smile, just as off-balance, but heartfelt.

"I don't hate you." she said easily, because it was true. Even if he was a little scary. She did however nearly stab him as he shot up from the ground and caught her in a hug that made her ribs creak. Naruto was a lot stronger than she thought.

* * *

Dinner was simple, travel rations and forage. Kakashi produced a few small packages of spices from his vest. A kindness greatly appreciated by his team, and their charge who was eating something that could charitably be described as rations, hard bread and a bit of dessicated meat. After a quiet dinner Kakashi pointed to his team.

"Alright, enough sitting around. You three, let's get a spar going. Full contact. No tools, no external technique." Kakashi said simply, and the three genin glanced at each other then all three sets of eyes traveled to the Bridgebuilder, who was sipping from a water canteen with feigned indifference though in truth was watching quite closely with interest. He was not very good at concealing it either. Sakura rolled her eyes, Naruto rolled his shoulders, and Sasuke rolled his wrists. A show of skill then. Even at the slow pace they would be into the land of waves by tomorrow afternoon.

The three of them stood up and squared off. This was going to be a different kind of fight. A battle of chance. The funny thing nearly all people don't understand is the gap between fighting one person and fighting two or more. It is a gulf. It is something that is only touched upon in the Academy. The process is really just breaking down the fight into a series of one on ones where possible through positioning and movement.

This little three way spar went exactly as these sort of fights always go. Naruto's off the wall style and relatively higher physical strength put him on the attack immediately. Sasuke tried to end the fight as quickly as he could, turning on Naruto as Sakura dropped back from the in the first moment. Her strategy became clear as she dove back in at the next breath as both of the boys committed to their attacks. It became a swirl of impacts. A dance in fast forward. Hands and feet flying striking for joints, openings, or even just to create an impact. The taijutsu styles fell apart after the first eight seconds. Fifteen seconds in Sakura caught a sandal to the side as she blocked a fist to the face and made like a folding chair, falling to the ground with a grunt. Sasuke pulled back his foot for a followup at Naruto but the shorter boy slipped under the kick. In a move that Sasuke tried to hop back from but was too off balance to successfully do Naruto grabbed the other boy exactly where it would hurt the most, and tugged. Sasuke turned red in the face as he lost his balance and fell sideways, only making his problem worse.

"Yield!" the blonde yelled with a vicious smile on his face. He never saw the two footed flying kick coming until it impacted the side of his head with a cry of fury from the pink haired missile that had launched practically from the ground. Sasuke used the opportunity to gingerly scramble to his feet, red in the face and immensely sore. His eyes blinked and in that moment he saw what was in front of him. The fist headed for his throat seemed to move in slow motion and he began dragging himself to the side as quickly as he could his leg already rising in a countering kick.

The fist seemed to have a phantom tracing where it was, and he would have dodged right into the second fist if he didn't see the phantom intersecting the side of his head. He turned the kick into a sweep as she dropped to a half spin mess. The sweep didn't have full strength, but it did have surprise even as it registered on Sakura's face and she tried to abort her punches and jump over his sweep Sasuke heard something to the side where Naruto had been sent flying and caught a glimpse of a phantom shoe coming for his head, sliding neatly along the ground. His arms were already moving to unbalance the move as Sakura's gasp reached his ears. The world was quickly catching up to the heart pounding adrenaline fueled moment of clarity thought the tracers remained, so obvious and so clean in his mind. Each twitch and swish of motion like a friend he'd seen a thousand times. He realized dully that he had activated his Sharingan without meaning to. Well, might as well keep fighting.

* * *

Sakura's anger at being so summerally ignored after that hit irked her, but she got back into the fight in dramatic fashion. Counting her out too quickly yet again. It brought a fierce fire to her fists, and her feet as she felt the impact of her kick that sent Naruto tumbling pot over teakettle into the bushes. She turned on her crush, her teeth grit. She only had the academy style to lean on, but it taught her enough to put up a firm offense. Then all at once Sasuke's movements smoothed out, he was fast, one of the fastest in the class, but this was different. There was suddenly an economy to his movements. It was then they met eyes, emerald against deep, dark red, red like blood, red like pain. Two tiny tomoe swirled in one eye, one in the other. The Sharingan, swimming slowly she looked into the depths and felt like she could get lost in them, in that instant she started her second punch even as Naruto took a running start.

* * *

She'd kicked him! In the head! What had he done to her that deserved that!? Hadn't Sensei said this was supposed to be a light spar? Maybe he imagined that. He had felt so much lighter, but now the whisper in his mind and he were in agreement. Pain was owed and he was in a big hurry to make an unrefusable offer. The slide kick came in quickly but with just a glance and a flash of red Sasuke was moving like a snake, sliding out of the way of the kick even as his arm started to snake toward Naruto. He saw what was going to happen too slow to do anything about it, or at least, that would have been true before the training. He glued himself to the dirt arresting his momentum in an instant and using it to switch to a punch. Even as Sasuke's eyebrows were shooting up he was avoiding the punch, Sakura wasn't idle though. She'd slipped around to the side of him, just out of his peripheral vision and sending another anger-powered fist at Sasuke's unprotected side, but with only a glance he was moving to block, less than a flicker of his gaze gave him enough information. As her wrist was slapped away she started chambering a kick letting the thrown off punch begin her momentum even as he was slithering out of Naruto's way. With both attacks forced to be abortive Sasuke leapt to the side as Sakura and Naruto snapped back to face off.

"Stop. Very good. I'm glad you've all been taking your training so seriously." Kakashi said as Tazuna stared on in awe.

* * *

Kakashi was smiling on the inside watching the little spar quickly get out of hand. There was a lot of resentment and pent up anger today and letting a little steam blow off seemed like the thing to do. He felt gratified by the sheer fury of their little fistfight. He did wince in sympathy at Naruto's dirty trick, but honestly it was a good dramatic moment, he'd let it slide.

He was watching Tazuna carefully for the most part. There was little harm in showing off his cute little students talents. He'd been fairly happy with their progress. This also gave him a chance to measure them against each other. It was entertaining in a different kind of way to watch children fight. Especially when they all had so much to prove.

* * *

Their trip to the borders of wave found the air slowly growing warmer, wetter, with the faint taste of wet rot and salt in the air. It was an unfamiliar one to all three children, all of them taking it in as they walked. Eyes and ears open and ready for trouble, until the rain. Every day, rain for hours. The air hung heavy with wetness, and nothing was dry any longer. Sasuke was the most overtly miserable, his hair laying flat showing it's near shoulder length, his clothes clinging to him wetly. Even the weather resistant silks that were woven to ninja clothes eventually hit their limit. Sakura had the forethought to bring a poncho, a light garment of treated cloth that repelled the rain, it was close in color to the one Kakashi himself wore, hooded as they walked through the afternoon drizzle. Naruto, in his usual defiance of logic looked perversely pleased. He was all smiles as the rain came down, cold and unrelenting. He spoke up of the freshness and the brisk chill of the air that carried the storms.

It was on the second day in Wave, nearly to their destination that the trouble arose. The first warning was when Kakashi vanished. Team Seven closed ranks around Tazuna as they walked, the old man seemed more alert, his wide brimmed hat and sturdy pack well suited to the weather.

They had been walking through puddles the entire day, water dripped from the trees and settled in little ruts in the dirt road they walked.

There was a small stream passing from one side of the road to the other, water running freely down the slightest incline. It wasn't until they stepped past it that the attack came. Two figures wrapped in tattered cloaks rose nearly silently from the puddle like ghosts in the mist, if not for a shiver from Naruto and the slightest sound of metal on metal from the chains joining two heavy metal clawed gauntlets there would have been no clue. Sasuke reacted first, pulling Tazuna down as the old man started to shout, Sakura and Naruto spun drawing the short throwing knives they had and preparing for a fight even as Naruto was clotheslined by a barbed chain, it caught him across the forearm and threw him to the ground as one of the Ninja bounded up landing almost where Tazuna had been and lashing out with his bare hand, the chain gauntlet taut from having downed the blonde. Sakura barely had time to move before the strong arm hit her in the forearm. She hadn't had the time to position the knife to try to retaliate as she was sent stumbling back at the sudden strike.

This left the larger ninja standing over Tazuna as Sasuke slithered up to his feet meeting the eyes of the ninja even as he lashed out with a kunai. The heavy metal gauntlet shifted quickly, its claws tapping away the Kunai with a vicious sweep far in excess of the force needed, but it did allow the other gauntlet holder to be pulled forward landing on the other side of Sasuke with a coil of chain nearly wrapped around him when two Kunai flicked down from above striking both sides of the loop and spoiling the constriction, letting Sasuke duck out from under it where it would otherwise have caught his neck.

Both the gauntleted ninja flicked their heads about looking for the fourth party even as Naruto lashed out with a kick at the hip of the larger ninja and Sakura threw a pair of Shiruken at the other's back. A quick flick of the chain by one deflected the projectiles but the rear one had to give up his position or accept a strike. They hopped to keep a slight tension on their chain, to keep it off the muddy ground. It took about half a second for Sakura to kip up, letting Naruto take stance and Sasuke to stay over Tazuna who was curled up on the ground, covering his head.

As the two ninja pulled back for another run at the three genin and their charge there was a brief blur and one of the ninja was struck with tremendous force, an axe kick to the back of the head the other having only a tiny fraction of a moment to spin and bring up his bladed claw. Kakashi leaned back just a bit as the claw came in, Kakashi swiveled the Kunai he had in his hand as the claw ghosted his nose bringing the ninja knife up and immediately into the ninja's elbow. The scream as the Ninja dropped to his knees reaching back to touch the knife still protruding from the joint.

"Mah….. sorry kids, got lost on the road of life for a moment. Looks like you found some friends." Kakashi says casually.

"You stabbed me in the elbow!" the ninja mutters a trembling hand touches the knife again only to hiss and pull his hand back. Kakashi steps over the one laying on the ground groaning.

"Yep." Kakashi says as he walks over and grabs the Kunai and jerks it. The scream makes Tazuna cower just a little harder. "So, time to have a quick chat…" Kakashi says squatting down to look the ninja in the face with a little eye crinkling smile.

* * *

A/N: a little divergence, a little character development. I wrote a little more action this chapter. I'm interested to hear what is thought of it, if you have the time please tell me what I did right and what I did wrong, improvement is a constant battle.


	8. Mettle and Mist

A/N: writing action is very hard, keeping it interesting and not giving into the instinct to make it a blow by blow can really improve writing. Leaving things to the imagination will conjure far more interesting moments than I can possibly write out. Furthermore, I have changed how the Sharingan works, remember. it has Far more limitations in my version of the story than the Canon. It is still worthy of the title "Great Dojutsu" but not as ludicrously overloaded as it is in canon. on with the story, individual responses will be moved to the end instead of cluttering up the beginning.

To improve as a writer I would appreciate if you would leave me a review with your thoughts, even if they are harsh critique is the swiftest way to improve a writer's ability. I do accept suggestions or ideas as well as speculation.

Thank you for reading, and I hope you all enjoy.

* * *

"...So that's your story, hm?" Kakashi asked the mist ninja currently hanging, tied with wire at knee, elbow, wrist, and ankle. The ninja nods definitively.

"Bounty hunting. My brother and I are poor, like much of wave." the mist ninja says looking Kakashi in the eye.

"And there's a bounty on Tazuna." Kakashi stated simply with a nod.

"I tell you what, you didn't manage to do any actual damage…" Kakashi started, drawing a subtle tension from the ninja in question. Kakashi, being himself, chose to ignore it.

"I suppose we have to let you go. We have a mission and can't afford to bother with ransom right now." Kakashi said as he reached over set the ninja to swinging just a little.

"Well, eventually your brother is going to wake up, and he can get you down. Until then, think about why it may not have been the best idea to attack someone with an obvious ninja escort." Kakashi said with a smile. This entire conversation had been watched by the three Genin and their charge, who mostly stood around and crossed his arms impatiently as Kakashi asked a short series of questions, he seemed to be taking the answers he got from the enemy ninjas seriously. Which Sasuke huffed about but said nothing while Sakura was far more enrapt watching carefully as Naruto spent more of his time out of line of sight of any of the others but the suspended ninja making insulting faces and gestures at the man as he dangled.

As the group walked away Sakura was the first to speak, sidling up to Kakashi to speak so quietly that Sasuke and Naruto had to strain to hear. "Sensei, why did we let them go if they attacked us?" she asked timidly and Kakashi smiled down at her sidelong but didn't answer, leaving her standing staring up at him for a long minute as her face hardened in thought. Naruto chewed over the lack of an answer in his usual manner, and Sasuke gave it no more thought, having already formed an answer.

* * *

The walk through the shifting terrain as forest gave way fully to scattered trees, shallow pools of water, and the endless quiet buzz of insect life. Suddenly happy for their coverings that, while stifling in the thick humidity, at least provided a barrier against the predations of the insect life. Strangely for all that Sasuke and Sakura had to be constantly swatting at the small creatures, Kakashi and Naruto both seemed utterly unmolested. Tazuna simply ignored the creatures, letting them land and crawl before inevitably flying off with a kind of bland neutrality of someone used to it, that he was back after the bottle probably had something to do with it.

The next two days passed in relative peace as the team became acquainted with the lot of Wave, passing by an abandoned stilt village slowly sinking into a swamp that Tazuna named Ikiryo. The dilapidated structures were wetly rotting away, birds roosted happily and vines and moss devoured the poor village greedily. There were no doors on any of the buildings still attached and everything of use had long been stripped. It was a sobering sight. Sasuke's eyes gazed over the rooftops and the bottoms of the piers, watching for movement beyond the birds and small lizards that called the place home but found nothing but shadows. Sakura looked with curiosity at the place, eyeing the encroaching green and the rough hewn wood that had been used in construction, the thatched roofs that had fallen apart with time and storm.

The gentle rain cast the place in a melancholy life that seemed to grip Sakura and Tazuna in much the same way. Both felt the tragedy of lost homes, but where Sakura only had a gentle frown to her feeling, Tazuna stood straighter, the laid back somewhat lazy look about the man pushed down as he pushed out his chest and his eyes narrowed as they swept back to the path.

Naruto and Kakashi seemed to be of similar thought about it and paid the village no more mind than they would any other tree or rock. Naruto even found a melody that he hummed quietly as they walked. Though it deepend Sakura's frown it seemed to be tolerated by both Tazuna and Kakashi. Sasuke responded with his usual answer to a person doing something he didn't like and glared at the blonde who did a marvelous job of ignoring him.

"Hey, idiot, be quiet, we already got attacked once, quiet down and maybe we'll hear them coming next time." the black haired Uchiha said venomously. Naruto responded by not responding, which did far more to bristle the prickly scion than anything he could have said, his tune carrying a carefree spirit to it even.

Sasuke crossed his arms for a few minutes but eventually accepted he'd been defacto outvoted by the lack of any other complaint and endured the smooth rhythm to match his steps like the others.

* * *

The next day started off as the previous had, with a quick meal of forage, though the forage was more small river fish and hardy water plants than what they were perhaps more used to, Kakashi gave a brief lesson to Naruto and Sasuke about edible plants in Wave, acknowledging Sakura's additions with grace. It was nearing noon when the endless drizzle intensified briefly and then the hot morning turned slightly chill as mist blocked out the sun leaving it little more than a lighted patch in the soup-thick fog.

"Hm, Sun's usually burned all this off by now." Tazuna commented casually as he walked, not noticing the subtle shift in the way the team was walking, Kakashi shifted to be standing behind the group, and Tazuna as the three kids drifted out just a bit their eyes and ears straining.

"Down!" came Kakashi's ringing shout as all three kids dropped without thought Kakashi grabbed Tazuna's shoulders and pulled him down with a shout as something swirled through the mist, just a dark shadow moving fast as a falcon's dive. Naruto was first to break the silence.

"Was that a tree trunk?" he asked of the seven foot long shape that had whipped through the mist at head level.

"A Sword." Kakashi responded as he leapt to his feet. Even as he started forming hand signs he had to abandon the technique to dodge.

A second, vertical swing slipped through the space where he'd been standing, striking with so much force they all felt it through the ground causing an eddy in the mist as a figure holding a weapon longer than he was tall appeared for only an instant before vanishing again into the concealing, swirling mist.

A moment later a shape appeared in the middle of the group of Genin a figure wielding a massive blade the great swing was nearly silent but for a gentle whistle of breeze.

Sasuke managed to fully avoid it, ducking the neck height swing by a reasonable margin. Tazuna took it a little harder on the account of having to be bodily tackled by Sakura who slammed into him with a chakra enhanced leap. Naruto however let out a yell, his scalp bleeding by the shaving slice that left the back of his head hot with washing blood, matteing his hair. He fell to a knee even as the mysterious warrior who was faster than wind and silent as the reaper had to spin, putting the massive blade between himself and Kakashi who had had the moment he needed to act, he launched into a swift Taijutsu combination trying to slide around the great two handed sword with a Kunai even as he concealed the swift seals of a technique that wreathed his ninja knife with electricity that spat just audibly in the clinging mist giving the warrior all the warning he needed to slam his blade down into the ground to ground it as the electricity leapt along it into the dirt. The two ninja leapt apart, Kakashi to evade the tremendous blade that was nimbly shifted to sweep to grant space as the figure vanished again into the mist.

"Well. This is a pickle. How bad is it?" he asked loud enough to be heard, Naruto spoke up his voice breaking just a little.

"Just a flesh wound… but it's on my head!" he says as he tries to strain his eyes and ears into the mist.

Kakashi sighed and the other three spared a glance as he reached up to touch his face.

"If I fall. All of you, run. You don't have a chance against this, he's playing with us for now. But I do believe I know who has decided to mist up our perfectly nice day…" Kakashi says with a casualness his body doesn't express.

There is a quiet laugh that seemed to echo off the trees.

"Well Well. I'm impressed if you're correct, name me, stranger?" The baritone voice, calm and smooth says with an amused chuckle.

"Zabuza, Demon of the Hidden Mist." Kakashi drawled. Three sharp claps echoed in the murk as a figure stepped into sight in the mist, just a hazy outline with the massive blade over his shoulder in one hand, poised. He took a small bow, throwing out one hand dramatically.

"My reputation precedes me, you need no introduction either Sharingan Kakashi." the figure says even as kakashi slips forward a quick two step burst, stopped on a hair by a lightning fast sweep of the sword proving the earlier swings really were just tests.

"Ah Ah. Not so fast. Testing myself against you will be great fun. Sadly I have a mission to complete first. Gato sends his regards." At those words Tazuna shivered, Sakura, who was crouched defensively over the old man could feel it. But it was not a tremble of fear, but of barely restrained anger. And within a moment the restraint shattered.

"Damn him! He will kill us all, and drown the nation of wave with his greed! Damnation upon him and upon you for supporting him!" Tazuna roared into the mist with a shocking intensity.

There was a beat of silence before Kakashi tried a new technique, sliding without a sound into the earth as the figure immediately retreated up a tree even as Kakashi sprang out of the dirt inside the reach of the fantastically heavy sword forcing a full body twist out of the misted figure to block the thrust of a kunai and a careful one-two wheel kick to block the single thrown shuriken and the one hidden soundless in its shadow that followed the attack as Zabuza retreated.

This gave Naruto his moment to snap a hand sign and with a whoosh of displaced air there were suddenly three of himself that flashed through three hand signs and in unison thrust out their hands . throwing a tremendous gale of chakra laced wind all around blowing the mist away in a torrent that nearly threw sasuke and Sakura from their feet and forced Zabuza to grip the side of the tree he was headed toward rather than the branch he had been aiming for.

The banished mist revealed the bare-chested ninja for the first time. He was tall, a head taller than kakashi, his body had the heavy build with only moderate definition of a career fighter, his chest was covered in scars, all old and faded. His arms down to the backs of his hands had long camouflage pattern arm guards with the telltale bulk of light armor underneath as the fabric shifted. His face was covered from the bridge of his nose down to his neck in wraps, his eyes were sharp and cold as a predator. His wild, short hair broken only by a hitai-ite tied at a jaunty angle, prominently displaying the icon of the hidden mist, bisected by a single slash. A declaration to any of his status.

As the mist cleared there was also a change in Kakashi his headband was straight across his forehead and his hidden eye revealed. His face slashed from brow down into the mask over his mouth and the remaining eye swirled red with three tomoe quietly spinning. A mature Sharingan. Something Zabuza seemed to carefully avoid looking at.

"Useful technique you have there, brat." Zabuza said, unimpressed as the mist was already starting to sweep back in. the four Naruto's spread out even as Sasuke moved as well, trying to put enough space between themselves they could still rush to protect their charge but not neatly allow one swing of the massive sword Zabuza wielded to cull them in a single swing.

"Your fight is with me, Momochi." Kakashi said in a voice that was deceptively calm, the drawl in his voice absent, the slouch that perpetually dogged him vanished in an instant. In a single moment he had turned from a lazy, old dog to a taut, hunting hound in the time it took to take a single breath.

The mist ninja, standing firm at a perpendicular to gravity let the sword hang down to touch the ground and levered himself over to land back on the ground, his hands already snapping off a pair of signs as the mist drew in thick. Rolling as though propelled

"If you know who I am, then you know the technique for which I am known. Hidden mist silent assassination, prepare."

* * *

Zabuza slid through the mist as his mind whirled. What should have been an easy paycheque had just become a major headache. Gato had given very specific instructions, to take the bridgebuilder alive. A talent like his was not to be squandered even if killing him would be easier. The kids were no issue. They had barely avoided his most casual probing attacks, they would be wheat to his scythe. However Sharingan Kakashi was another matter entirely. A man with a serious reputation in the ninja world.

He could only use his most practiced techniques, to avoid giving a full seal string to the notorious copy-wheel eye. It was a fierce limitation. But he wasn't the type to use flashy techniques in any event. Not when he possessed such an advantage as the Executioner's Sword. Kakashi was no slouch in taijutsu, but being no slouch did not make you a master, and it certainly didn't make you an elite Mist assassin.

He ghosted, sliding along in absolute silence the chakra laced mist holding against his shifting position and his feet gliding on a cushion of air.

The hidden mist silent assassination technique was an ungodly terror to learn, but when mastered it was very difficult to defend against, only one of the legendary dojutsu gave a serious advantage over it. Afterall, the Sharingan could only predict what it could see.

Zabuza smiled to himself under his mask as he slid to where Kakashi had been listening for the tiny telltale sounds of motion, but heard nothing. That was bothersome, He had to assume Kakashi had done the wisest move available to him and slipped back underground. Zabuza frowned, it was very unsporting to go after children, but to bring out the man he'd just threaten his little team.

* * *

"Naruto, can you clear the mist again?" Sasuke asked his Sharingan lazily spinning as he tried to look in every direction at once.

"When I can't see the guy with the eight foot sword who's just waiting for his chance, you want me to focus on that? Uh-uh! No way! I like my head where it is, that sword is sharp!" Naruto answered, even speaking in muttering they could hear each other, so straining against the slightest sound, the smallest rustle to tell them where the assassin would appear.

Sakura had her eyes closed even to put all her focus in her ears, holding a kunai close to her chest so she could turn and get it in the way of the sword fast enough to save her life… she hoped.

The only warning she got was a hiss from Sasuke, he started shouting an "s" sound and she was already spinning bringing the little throwing knife up to where her neck was. She felt the impact, but rather than the fearsome blade edge parting her, it was a massive whooshing smash as she was struck across the forearms and stomach with the flat of the blade.

She left the ground the wind knocked out of her with a great huff from the impact that sent her into a backward somersault that she only barely managed to scramble back to her feet, eyes snapping open just in time to see Zabuza spinning, kakashi's leg extended hitting the larger man in the ribs with a side kick as Zabuza swatted away the Kunai feint that had been heading toward his ribs. This wasn't the flat of the blade that swung at Kakashi though, the massive sword traveled so quickly that the mist was hardly even disturbed. Just as Zabuza was winding up the backswing kakashi leapt back with a chakra enhanced hop and flashed through a few handsigns before thrusting his hands out, a whuff of air swirled much like the gale force Naruto had conjured but at it's front was a tightly focused blade of air, almost like a sword made of clouds. A scalpel where the genin had summoned a fan.

Zabuza swung his tremendous blade in the way and let the impact against the flat carry him up and back with a grunt. Even before Kakashi started moving Zabuza was already throwing out a sweeping kick to catch Kakashi as he flickered from the ground to try to intercept Zabuza's landing. The preemptive sweep, concealed by the blade from his starting position, caught Kakashi full on in the shoulder that drew a gasp from the silver haired ninja. Still he managed to strike out like a viper and hit Zabuza in the knee even as he tumbled through the air from the tremendous force of the kick.

The two separated in the mist, resetting to the neutral game. Again they began to circle, as Zabuza slipped through the mist and Kakashi prowled low. Both smarting from their initial skirmish.

The battle was slow, long moments of quiet; orbiting the team of Genin and their charge punctuated by a quick series of staccato beats somewhere in the mist. Once a flash of lightning, then a quick sound of stone being forcibly shattered, once they could swear the very puddles around them reared up for a moment as by some unseen force before dropping down.

"You're quite good." Zabuza spoke from the mist, moving carefully around where Kakashi had lain a quick and dirty trap at their last little clash.

"Thank you, you're not so bad yourself." Kakashi responded politely, making Sasuke seethe and speak in a clench-jawed whisper.

"This is serious Sensei! Don't act like this is a game!" he mutters.

"This is something else!" Naruto whispered around a mouth gone dry.

"We need to do something!" Sakura whined.

"What's going on!?" Tazuna demanded still on the ground with his hands over his head.

"Two elite Jonin going at each other with intent to kill." Sasuke mutters and flinches as a blast of fire flashes to steam as it hits a sheet of water just to the side of them.

"Can you actually follow them?!" Sakura asks incredulously.

Long moments of silence are the only response from Sasuke.

"Kinda…" Naruto responds. "I can tell when they start fighting at least…" he says softly leading both his teammates to look to him through the mist so thick they can only see his outline.

* * *

The feint hadn't worked, Zabuza had caught on after the first time. He had a good memory and excellent reflexes. If not for the sword they would be damned near even. With his Sharingan he could see the path of the sword even as Zabuza started to swing it. But being able to do something with the knowledge was an entirely different story. He was bleeding from three minor cuts and one fairly nasty gash where he'd had to get fancy to avoid being bisected, but he'd given as much as he took. He knew Zabuza was getting frustrated. They'd traded water and earth clones, half a dozen techniques and more than a dozen physical blows but Kakashi was tiring. This fight couldn't go on forever, he had to find a way to get a decisive blow before Zabuza wore him out. He couldn't just re-cover the Sharingan, it was the only reason his spine was still contiguous. This was going to have to be the one…

* * *

There was a great flash of light, the mist blown away by the blast all three Genin snapped toward the action even as the blast faded and the dull metal of the massive Executioner's Blade glinted dully from the fiery impact.

The hand that snaked around the flat of the blade at him had no chance of actually reaching him but the flare of chakra spoke of something more as the mist and puddles running around the ground instantly surged toward them and collapsed into an orb holding onto Zabuza's hand. It coalesced, wrapping Kakashi's entire body. He was trapped, suspended in an intense inward falling current of water holding him aloft and battering him still in the center as Zabuza wound up his sword one handed.

Kakashi's Sharingan spun faster and faster as it saw the path begin to head toward his ribs he flashed a single sign and a massive current of electricity flashed within the water, soaring from Kakashi's hands up through the water, into Zabuza's hand and then down into the earth, with a great yell the water prison started to collapse and Kakashi thrust up with all his might, forcing chakra out his feet to give him momentum in the liquid medium, a kunai in his hand headed straight for Zabuza's chest. His angle was perfect as he began the motion but drew up short as two senbon sprouted from Zabuza's neck.

* * *

"Sensei!" Sakura cried out, as he three of them burst forward just as Kakashi's gambit paid off. Sakura came up short as the massive missing mist ninja dropped like a sack of potatoes. Naruto's warcry coming from all their throats died off lamely as the battle ended so suddenly. Sasuke, who had been preparing a chakra leap to try to get in slowly straightened back up as he traced the trajectory of the needles backward.

A single Mist ninja wearing a white porcelain mask with a water-like minimalist design on it landed next to Zabuza, she stood up after putting a hand to the fallen ninja's neck checking his pulse while keeping her mask facing toward the Leaf ninja. Kakashi stood, Kunai in hand with a patient look on his face, even as he pulled his Hitai-ite back down over his eye.

"Well hello there." he said neutrally. But the playful tone was absent. It was unsettling for the kids who had seen a new side to their sensei today.

"I am a Hunter Ninja in employ of Kirigakure no Sato." the soft voiced woman said, her painted nails carefully binding Zabuza's body with a fine rope she produced from within her simple but pretty battle clothes.

"I would like to thank you for your assistance in defeating Momochi Zabuza, traitor to the Hidden Mist." she said hefting the bound body to her shoulder and making to drag the sword behind her as she quickly walked to the edge of the road and looked back with her expressionless mask.

"...I do not think I could have done it without you." she said sincerely and then disappeared in a flicker of mist.

It took a long moment before anyone said anything, and it was Naruto who spoke up first.

"What just happened!?" he asked incredulously his voice rising.

"When a Ninja breaks his oath of service, he must be brought to justice. That was a Hunter Ninja, they are roughly the same as our ANBU. They stalk out rogue ninja and bring them back in to the village to be punished." Sakura says quietly, staring at the spot where the ninja had been.

Kakashi rocked his head side to side a moment before speaking, "Mostly right. They're usually interrogated and fairly heavily tortured before the rest of their punishment is due. Gotta keep up some kind of deterrent ..." Kakashi says and rolls his shoulders. "Alright! Let's keep walking, we've got a reunion to facilitate! Right mister Tazuna?" the silver ninja asks of the older man who is looking around like he expects to be accosted on all sides any moment.

"Ah! R-right!" the man stutters jumping a little at the sudden rise in volume from Kakashi. They get moving fairly quickly though Kakashi stays in the middle of the group now, his nose buried in his little orange book he protectively cradles in his hands. Three pairs of eyes look him over closely.

A pair of green eyes sees a warrior in his prime hiding behind a facetious facade, dragging his feet with affected laziness.

A pair of black eyes sees a jungle cat pretending not to be paying attention, ignoring wounds that others would consider serious with a casualness that speaks of experience with much worse for much longer.

A pair of blue eyes sees the nerves, the edge to the usual posture. The head, just so, the breaths just slower, the tread just heavier, he sees the fatigue, and just a sprinkling of relief.

* * *

Two hours later they emerge from the small wooded islands onto a wooden stilt village, unlike the previous though this one is alive with people. The smell of fish, burning stoves, the sounds of people hawking wares and speaking to their neighbors. The happy voices are too happy, the footsteps too soft. Everyone looks over their shoulders, and the sound of boats drifting on the gentle waves brings the unsettling sound of ropes tightening like nooses. They walk through the village, to a small building built on a small island near a larger river, a true arterial route to the sea, overlooked by a great work, the set foundations and some framework for a great bridge, it stands with only the center missing. The other end lost in the mists as it seemingly stretches up yearningly, aspirationally.

"I'm back!" Tazuna yells, it is the closest thing to true happiness they have heard from the man since they began their journey.

"Father?" a young woman's voice asks poking out of the small home a moment later is a brown haired woman with a cautious smile. She takes in the four people with her father with a forced smile, her eyes afraid. Her hands grip the doorframe tightly.

"I've brought protection! The project is back on!" He declares to the world his voice carrying into the gloom. The sound of voices rises in volume just a bit, the tone shifts. From a gloom to a sort of light, a certain hope carries in the sound and the sun peeks through the mist, just a bit, only for a moment.

* * *

A/N: To Lizzie, honestly that's the most important skill i'm working on, making sure that every scene informs you about the characters it involves in some way, any scene that is written should do two things minimum, drive the plot forward in some way, and establish something about the characters or reinforce a previously made impression. There's a lot of writing and rewriting to ensure that I'm always doing both but I still screw it up sometimes. Thank you for noticing.

To RedSoleil, Yes, it always bothered me in Canon they bothered to call them "Hidden Villages" when it seemed everybody already knew where they were. It seemed a grave mistake to allow anyone to simply walk in. This will make complications later, obviously. The Chunin exams for instance. However all the villages are now "Hidden" as the leaf village is. As for requesting work from the village, yes, there are carrier birds and some electrical communication set up to communicate with the mission office from various outposts along the edges of the Konoha forest and all non-citizens of the village are held at the outside of the forest to await dispatch as needed.

I put a lot of work into thinking about how to do the Sharingan; I zeroed in on a few core abilities that make it interesting and powerful. I settled on three, Prediction, Memory, and Suggestion. The latter is the crowning achievement of the maturation of the eye. the Biggest change though is probably the mechanics of transplantation. More on that as needed in the story.


	9. Sleeping Dogs Lie

A/N: a bit of backstory filling in more of the little border city in Wave. More notes at the end.

* * *

"Well, that was fun and all but do you have anywhere I could lie down, ma'am? I would really like to get some rest, it's been a long day." Kakashi said with his best people voice. Clapping his hands together dramatically. The young woman who was revealed to be Tsunami, Tazuna's daughter almost fell over herself to be accommodating, though asked him if he wouldn't like to have dinner first.

"Nope, really must get to sleep, long day. Goodnight!" he said quickly shutting down her insistence as he gave all three of his genin a look that informed them they needed to follow him as he walked upstairs, took off his sandals and found the bedrolls Tsunami had informed him of, and after setting it out in a nearly empty room, he hopped into his futon and addressed the three of them.

"I blew through most of my chakra in that fight, I'm probably going to sleep for… oh… two days or so. When I wake up I expect a secured perimeter and at least a good idea of what the defense of the work will look like. Okay? Good." he said without giving them enough time to raise objection then singled out Naruto who was looking mildly put out.

"Oh. And if any of you think about pranking me while I'm asleep I will bring the almighty judgement of god down upon you and they will never. Ever. Find even half of your body. Am I understood?" the look in Kakashi's eye and the sudden coldness of his voice lead both Sasuke and Sakura to step away from Naruto who quailed just slightly.

"Yes Sensei." Naruto squeaked bowing his head.

"Good. 'Night." and with that Kakashi closed his eyes and was asleep almost instantly. That odd moment aside the three of them filed back downstairs they were walking down the stairs as Naruto spoke up.

"I'll have a look at the town, I can cover more ground." he said and Sakura opened her mouth getting the first syllable of the word what out of her mouth only to have Naruto make two crisp hand seals and thirty Narutos filed out the door taking off in different directions already changing their appearances as they went.

There was a long moment as they walked and Sasuke was the one who broke it with an admission that had Sakura covering her eyes to hide her shame in sharing the thought as Naruto laughed loudly.

"I forgot for a minute he could do that." was the admission. Naruto clapped Sasuke and Sakura on the back with a smile that had each of them glaring at him.

"I'm going to go explore the river, because that seems like the most likely route someone will take to try to get here.." she says and walks out of the house Tsunami looks confused, mildly frightened, and still unfailingly polite.

"So… am I cooking for five… or thirty five, I… um… somewhat need to know…?" she asks painfully awkwardly standing in the door to the kitchen hands clasped in front of her chest for lack of anything else to do with them.

* * *

After the strangeness of having real ninja under her roof Tsunami made herself the perfect host. The small home was comfortable, and clearly had space for family that wasn't present. Tazuna was like a different person inside his home. His face was softer, his eyes less stern. Naruto reacted the most to it. He had settled in, immediately volunteering to assist with anything that was mentioned. Despite his relative exuberance she was hesitant, there was a feeling about him that was off putting past the bright smile and easy laugh. Dinner was cooked quickly that said. They had arrived after a long day of walking and while Sasuke and Sakura explored the house with Kakashi sleeping soundly in an upstairs room, dead to the world. They ate quietly around the table. Tazuna was still drinking, but he had definitely curbed his consumption now that he was home. It was just after dinner that Sasuke raised his head and looked toward the door going still, followed by Sakura. Naruto took a moment longer to cotton on to his teammates being spooked as a young boy poked his head shyly around the corner to look at the occupants of the dining room.

"Inari! You're home early!" Tsunami said standing up to walk over quickly as the child glared with undisguised disgust at the ninja, something that had Sakura frowning and Sasuke glaring back. Naruto was the only one seemingly unphased by the look, continuing to eat and trying to pick a bit off Sasuke's plate only to have his chopsticks blocked without the raven haired prodigy even looking away from the child.

"Who're these kids?" the much smaller child asked crossly, Inari let out a gasp and even Tazuna turned away to hide his chagrin as Sasuke huffed.

"NInja of the Leaf, here to protect Tazuna while he finishes the bridge…. From the _bandits_." Sasuke said, his gaze sliding to Tazuna who did a marvelous job of managing to look like he wasn't trying to look guilty.

"You're all going to die. Gato will kill you." Inari says with the simple certainty of a child saying what they see.

Tsunami's slap was ringing. She hit Inari right on the cheek with her face flushed positively crimson. Sakura jumped at the sound, as did Naruto, but where Sakura looked like she wanted to jump forward, Naruto looked like he was about to jump back. They both mastered the reflex before it got further.

"Go to your room! How dare you speak to our guests that way!" she said furiously behind the door frame pushing the child quietly away. The three of them shared a look, but it was Tazuna who broke the silence.

"His father was his hero, tried to stand up to Gato, Gato's men beat him half to death and tied him to a plank at the low water mark." Tazuna said in a very quiet voice, just a gravelly grumble really. Sasuke nodded quietly and resumed eating his food before it got stone cold. Naruto set down his chopsticks with a peculiar look on his face. Sakura listlessly picked at her food but couldn't bring herself to put any more in her mouth after hearing that for several minutes. Tazuna quietly excused himself when his plate was empty. Carrying it over to the sink where the basin had been filled with water and began washing it off before setting it aside to be dried carelessly.

The meal, though it had been very good was largely eclipsed by a glimpse of what they were dealing with.

* * *

The village was split in two as it turned out. The river was broad as Naruto could throw a stone, which was saying something when someone can cheat with chakra. He found he could hop between little islands in the bay if he took a good, running leap. But it proved to be far easier to simply dash across the surface. He wasn't the best at water walking even now. But he was good enough that if he was moving fast enough he could skim the surface. There were dozens of small docks up and down the banks. Most of the moored boats were small fishing craft. Not remarkable considering the smell and the birds. Gulls flitted about the docks furtively snatching whatever they could get their beaks around. The villagers mostly bartered from what Naruto could see, slipping among them. Standing out perhaps, even in disguise, by being alone.

"Hey kid, what're you doing?" a voice asked him, and he knew it was at him, he turned his head just enough to look back to see a larger man with marks on his arms.

"Walkin' " Naruto answered in his most innocent voice as the man towered over him. Tall and heavyset.

"Where are your friends?" The man asks a muscle in his cheek ticking. Naruto stared up and thought quickly.

"They're mad at me, so I'm on my own." he says as the man's eyes narrow.

"Don't lie to me brat. I know you're casing, you can't fool me I've seen it enough times!" the man growled and raised the back of his hand. Naruto flinched back, shoulders square, instinctively judging how long the man's arm was and setting himself back far enough to give him options to avoid the strike even as it was launched. The man swung fast, but Naruto had real training and managed to make his dodge look like a stumble. An elaborate lie perhaps to some, but second nature to a street rat of Konohagakure.

"Hm!? Get out of here!" the man shouted, briefly shocked that he'd missed, but responding with anger. Naruto moved quick, just muscle purposely bumping a few people just to keep up appearances. He did notice all of the people he brushed against checked their pockets reflexively. The clone considered this as he walked, stuffing his hands in his pockets and keeping his head down. Watching out for stores that were actually open.

* * *

Three hundred feet of wire, thirty five kunai, eighteen shuriken, two explosive tags. Thirty five bells. Naruto was pretty happy with the subtle defenses he'd lain around the bridgebuilder's home, the five clones shared a nod and notes, hopping around each trap and considering it for likely approaches. The most important part of trapcraft is placing them for maximum effect. Every trap can't be a masterpiece, but every one should have an objective. Even if that objective is just to buy you an extra second. Likely the only thing these simple traps would do to someone like Zabuza.

Sasuke prowled through the perimeter double checking traps. He'd never admit it, but he was impressed He'd had to be interrupted before almost triggering a trap twice. He was looking for them and still missed a few. He still won all their spars, he was more accurate with thrown weapons, his technique library was bigger, but the blonde had him dead in the art of trapmaking. It was reassuring in a way. To find Naruto had some talent to hold him above being truly last in the class. This triggered a thought in Sasuke, and he resolved to check up on something when they got back to Konoha.

That thought alone brought on a wave of concern that Sasuke ruthlessly pushed out of his mind. His cousins would be fine. It was the furthest he'd ever been from them. They had smiled and wished him luck when he told them he was going on a mission. He'd been bracing for tears. It surprised him until he thought about his family and realized that it was nothing new even to such small kids.

He refocused on the world where he was now. The feeling of loss coiling up in the back of his mind. He paused seeing three Narutos watching him with blank faces.

"What?" all three of them skittered off immediately.

"Nothing!" they chorused. Sasuke snorted softly, Naruto was a weird kid at the best of times. He chose not to make a thing out of questioning everything the guy did. He walked inside the home to find Tsunami dutifully cleaning the house. Tazuna was still asleep. The sun was up and the mist was already quickly burning off. He reserved his commentary, it helped the mission to keep him under guard, something easier if he wasn't inclined to go anywhere.

"Hello shinobi-san, did you need something?" she asked as she efficiently swept with a straw broom, herding a small cloud of dust toward the entrance of the home.

"No, I came in to alert you that the water's edge and most of the shubbery around the house is booby-trapped." he said smoothly as Tsunami's eyebrows shot up. "What?" she asked reflexively.

"On our way back we were attacked by a mist ninja hired by Gato. There's little reason to suggest he wouldn't hire another one." Sasuke said with all the seriousness he could muster, trying to lay the gravity of the situation onto her.

"But… " she started, then Sasuke held up a forestalling hand.

"We're ninja, we don't attack head on. The traps are a precaution. Tell no-one of them either, the main path to town is untrapped, but it is watched." this seemed to reassure the woman a bit.

"Oh… alright it's so… odd to see someone so young be so serious." she says quietly. Sasuke accepted the comment in stride.

"It is not so strange. My family are all ninja, I am another in a long line. Where a farmer may show his child the way to till soil or a fisherman may teach his son to mend a net I learned this trade as well." he explained slowly, by the end Tsunami nodded solemnly.

"I understand." Sasuke turned to leave a frown on his face, he rather doubted it.

* * *

Sakura spends their first day exploring the banks of the river, calling on what she remembered about the economy of wave country. It was heavily invested in shipping and fishing as well as luxury goods like glass blowing and pearls. They also supposedly had some of the best alcoholic spirit manufacture in the elemental countries. So seeing a reasonable number of larger shipping and fishing vessels traveling along the river wasn't terribly surprising. What was a little more interesting was the lack of smaller vessels. Every big ship she saw had two insignia on it, a larger affiliation marker for the trade house of the ship's owner, and a smaller one she couldn't identify but she had a suspicion based on what Zabuza had said.

She slipped back into town and started listening around. She'd have to find Naruto and ask him to listen too. He could put more ears out. She suspected that the reason someone probably paid Zabuza a lot of ryo to attack someone like Tazuna was the economic reason first and foremost. Wave was a long series of islands, the main island, large enough to almost be a continent of its own was separated by this great river between Fire and Wave. Uniting the continents would not only improve the ease of trade but break a shipping monopoly. If that wasn't the symbol of this "Gato" person she'd turn in her Hitai-ite.

* * *

It was by agreement the three met back up, Sasuke gave the idea to Naruto who eventually found the disguised Sakura, much to her private chagrin and informed her of the plan as noon approached. They had a workable map of the town and a big chunk of it was dominated by the half finished bridge. The purpose of the trip out of wave for Tazuna had been twofold it seemed as a massive amount of materials piled up throughout the day with more arriving even as they watched.

Naruto watched the people, there were more than a few laborers that were moving around doing minor work. Attaching scaffolding and placing under layer for the bridge, a few worked on the large stone pillars that rose out of tiny islands in the river pushing the bridge high enough for a good sized ship to pass under it. They worked with one eye open, looking up and down the bridge periodically for trouble, they were nervous, waiting for something to happen.

Sakura looked at the material and the rate of work, she calculated and guessed, it would take less than a month to finish the bridge, maybe two weeks unmolested if they were allowed to go all out. As it stood, if what she was seeing was representative it would be months of work before the bridge met at this rate.

Sasuke watched the shadows. People lurked, watching the people working. Eyes on the progress, strong armed people with sharp eyes. Sharks circling a school of fish. Waiting for their moment, restrained by an unseen force.

* * *

Tazuna had woken up by the time the three had slipped back to his home. He just glanced at them as he drank a cup of tea, Sakura accepted the cup offered to her by Tsunami. Sitting down with him to ask about the bridge. It was easy to suck him into conversation about this at least and Sakura quickly found herself learning a great amount about architecture and bridge design as Naruto and Sasuke slipped back upstairs to find Kakashi deep asleep as well. The two boys talked in quiet voices, deciding Naruto would take first watch as he had more eyes to put to it and Sasuke was naturally an early riser. They came back downstairs as lunch was served and discovered that Tazuna didn't plan to return to the job site that day. He was edgy and wanted to wait for Kakashi to wake up. Sasuke was about to say something sharp when the hair on the back of his neck stood up and he locked eyes with Sakura who despite outside calm was fixing him with a killing glare. Naruto subtly nodded his head as well and Sasuke decided it was a losing battle and let it go. He acknowledged Tazuna's desire and stated they would watch the house closely tonight.

* * *

In a small building concealed in the swampy woods a young ninja carefully stitched the wounds of a man pierced many times by very fine needles. Applying salve and massaging him gently. The man was awake but lay still staring at the ceiling passively. He spoke after a moment.

"Tomorrow we will go to the bridge and finish this mission. Then collect from that scum and move on again."

"You will be ready." the young ninja said, his mask set aside as he worked with a small satisfied smile on his face, consulting a scroll beside the table he worked on.

Zabuza lay very still, knowing the acupuncture and massage were doing work that was usually reserved for the greatest of healers. Mist's healers leaned more to the mystic, but they knew their work intimately. The only ones to map the nominal chakra network and be able to find the variations with ease only beaten by the users of the Byakugan of Konohagure. His wounds were recovering, and his bruises fading.

"You do good work, Haku." Zabuza says to the fair faced youth.

"Thank you, master." he says brushing his hair back behind his ear and carefully working ointment into a deep bruise before he can place another pin.

* * *

"Wakey wakey." Kakashi said firmly nudging Naruto who grunted awake and scrambled to guard his kidneys as Sasuke sat up and looked toward Kakashi who was standing silhouetted in the pale light of night, just as the sun was beginning to color the sky. Sakura yawned so hard her jaw popped as she looked up.

"Kakashi sensei? You're up?" she asked sleepily as the three looked up at kakashi standing barefoot in the middle of them.

"I'm a quick healer. Zabuza isn't dead." he says and suddenly all three of them snap to attention, sleep gone as quickly as sun-seared mist.

"We watched him get taken by a Hunter-nin." Sasuke says softly.

"Yeah!" Naruto adds in a stage whisper. Kakashi doesn't elaborate and the silence stretches on for a long minute in the early morning gloom.

"Senbon." Sakura says suddenly. Then Sasuke's eyes widen.

"Senbon." Kakashi says with finality and nods.

"Additionally, the Hunter took the body. Standard procedure is to destroy it at least partially on the spot. So the fact they took it whole…" he started and Naruto got a frown.

"Blind play to get him somewhere safe in a way we'd believe…" Naruto says with a deep frown of careful thought on his face, now sitting legs crossed on the floor.

"Exactly. My cute little puppies are growing up so fast!" Kakashi says sweetly drawing upset frowns from all three of them in the dark.

"So you think he'll be back?" Sasuke asked the next question after letting Kakashi have his moment.

"Would you leave a job half finished? Especially when your opponents are supposed to think you're dead?" Kakashi asked and Sakura muttered something unladylike.

"So! Did anything fun happen while I was asleep?" Kakashi asked looking around his group of genin who were crawling out of their futons and shared a brief look before Sakura started.

"Probably nothing you don't already know…" she couched, Kakashi waved her off with a few fingers. "Gato is a shipping king, I'd bet he has a monopoly locally. There's a lot of thugs that hang around the major piers and there's almost no small boat traffic in the river even when the weather is clear and the day cool, good for sailing." she explained, Kakashi just nodded looking over at Sasuke.

"He's got people watching the unfinished bridge. They're all over the town, I saw the type. We fortified the Island, noise making and lethal traps, Naruto set them all around the perimeter approach from the water except the main walk back to the mainland." Sasuke explained.

"I spent time all over town, clones." Naruto began, Kakashi nodded. "Wandered over town, pretty downtrodden. Lot of closed businesses, guards and fisherman. Bridge builders are looking for the next attack, I'm guessing they get harassed a lot." Naruto explains. Sakura nods and speaks up.

"Tazuna was talking about it yesterday. They get harassed almost daily. It started as threats but as the bridge has gotten closer to done it's been escalating. Some people got beaten, somebody's house got burned down." she said, Kakashi nodded gravely.

"Alright. Seems like good tradecraft, but I was asking if anyone attacked Tazuna yesterday?" he asked glancing between them.

"He didn't leave the house." Sasuke said. "I'd stuck around here mostly, besides a quick trip to the bridge to see what was up." he admitted Kakashi nodded.

"I'm guessing he was waiting for me to wake up?" he asked casually, there was a group nod from the three genin.

"Alright, well here I am. I hope Tsunami is ready to cook because I could eat an entire tuna." Kakashi says jovially, drawing eye rolls from two of the genin.

* * *

Breakfast was a bit of an event simply because of how much food the team managed to pack away. Mostly it was Kakashi, whatever he had done to speed his healing had really drained him and he was putting away food like a man who had been starving.

The fare went a little short as the meal came around with Tsunami apologizing for not making more but rather than answer Kakashi apologized, taking her hands and patting them paternally. He fast talked away her embarrassment and got her to accept a few Ryo notes. Tazuna was eager however and already standing by the door in clothes for hard work and a tool belt draped across his waist.

Inari was talking with Tazuna, their quiet but intense voices all too audible to the trained ears of the ninja.

"Don't go grandpa! They'll just come back again." the child whined.

"I know they will, but I have to. For everyone's good." Tazuna said sternly kneeling down to talk to Inari on his level.

"I don't want you to die!" he bites out, tears falling down his face though he hides it in his voice well enough.

"I have four ninja protecting me. They already stopped a real killer and they'll keep me safe from anyone else who tries. That's what I hired them for." Tazuna says sternly. Kakashi, Sakura, and Sasuke hesitated waiting in the kitchen to let the two of them talk a bit longer, it was not as if it were negligence on their part.

Naruto however instead walked into the room.

"Nobody's gonna kill your grandpa with us around, not some ninja, not some thugs, not anybody else." he said with a snarl sweeping his hand in a forceful gesture. Tazuna looked up with a frown on his face but Inari spun on him, his volume shooting right up.

"There's no such thing as heroes, you're gonna die! Gato's going to kill you and there's nothing you can do about it!" the crying boy shouted as Tsunami gasped again from the kitchen but was forestalled by the three ninja standing in the doorway. Naruto looked down his nose at the child only a little younger than himself.

"Cry all you want, but we're gonna be the heroes this town needs, understand? Nobody ever accomplished anything by crying about it, so if you wanna cry and tell us we'll fail before we even try, then get out of my way." Naruto says pointing at Inari accusingly as Tazuna pushes open the door.

"Alright, that's enough, let's get going…" he says looking between the two of them, his expression unreadable. Naruto stomps out after Tazuna as Sasuke and Sakura tag along behind heads on a swivel looking for trouble in the early morning mists. Kakashi pauses by the red faced crying Inari. He looks down at him, sidelong.

"You know, Naruto lost his father too." Kakashi says softly, as Inari snaps his head up to look at Kakashi in wonder.

"W-what?" is all the boy can manage before Kakashi continues.

"His mother too, he had nobody. He doesn't… didn't even have any friends. But I've never seen him cry, no matter how hard he works, no matter how much abuse he takes. No tears." Kakashi says and then lingers staring at the sniffling child who looks positively bursting with unspoken angst. Before the young boy can start spouting it though, Kakashi simply walks out into the mist after his team.

The mist quickly swallowed them all as they walked toward the bridge.

* * *

A/N: another chapter done, perhaps a little more boring than a few others, but I think it's important to establish the stakes here. Explain a few things. It's been a long time since I watched the show, I'll be honest. I'm going to continue diverging from the plot more and more as time goes on. Acupuncture is something of an informed skill of Haku's. he's stated to be good at it, but it doesn't really come out in the series. Oh well.

Naru285: I'm glad you're enjoying what I make, I hope it continues to meet expectations. Talent is not what I'd call it. Years of being bad at writing has finally started to lay fruit and I'm starting to get a little bit good at it, who would have guessed.

RedSoleil: you hit on something that is the ultimate reason that I'm writing this story. Ninja in naruto didn't act like Ninja, more like some kind of wizards with a ninja aesthetic. It's all about throwing balls of energy around exactly like this were DBZ. I respect Zabuza because of every character damned near, he was the only one to even Try fighting like a ninja, even if it doesn't last long.

This is something I feel like I should announce. Ninja are trained spies and assassins to one level or another. A Ninja fight Should be decided by the first mistake. So in my story they generally are. Next chapter, a series of climactic battles. Here's to hoping I get it done quickly. I feel like it's going to take a while to get it to a place I'm happy with.


	10. Hunters and Hart

A/N: I am no wizard, and this chapter is late. However it also my longest ever by nearly half. Please enjoy.

* * *

The sun was lost to the cold grey. The mist clung to their skin quickly chilling away the brief morning sun. Kakashi stood near Tazuna, like a masked shadow, always within sight, but always out of the way. Sasuke and Sakura were a little wider out, watching the workers near the two ends of the bridge as it came together. Naruto had created two clones and sent them to the ends of the bridge to keep eyes on the more mundane of the approaches.

Tazuna had told Sakura that he thought they'd be done in a week if they were not interrupted and watching them work Sakura could believe it. She kept one eye on the men, as the easiest way to get close to Tazuna would naturally be to substitute one of his men, henge and then casually walk up to him. So she kept her attention focused.

It is one thing to academically understand the patience drills taught in the academy and another to use them. A Ninja must be patient took a whole new meaning on an action negative mission like this one. After the first two hours it just kept getting harder to watch every little person. She kept herself on task with glances to her sensei and to where she had spotted Sasuke flit about.

She kept relatively still in her concealed location amongst some trash that would grow and shrink as a pile but never quite go away, making it a good spot to slink into and watch. She'd lost sight of Naruto almost immediately, but honestly she had learned to expect that.

Kakashi standing bold as brass leaned against a pylon sunk into the riverbed, nose in a little orange book letting out an occasional giggle was something else entirely. His sheer aura of inattention was almost maddening, but she had seen him in almost exactly the same pose easily fending off attacks from two or even three directions in the team spars. He was paying attention, no matter what he looked like.

Tazuna was largely just managing his people though he would intervene and reset levels and plumb lines as needed, stepping in to the actual work of construction only when a deft hand was needed.. Ensuring the bridge was straight and as perfect as they could make it. A nearly three hundred meter bridge was a technological undertaking that was remarkable, even more so when he was doing all the calculation and planning by hand. Tazuna really did have a superb architectural skill for all he was outwardly an old drunk.

The mist hung heavy all through the day though. She supposed it wasn't terribly unusual given how everyone was reacting to it, but it still bothered her, she kept seeing things in the mist that she was almost completely sure that were only in her head.

After seeing Zabuza work she had what she felt was a healthy paranoia about the thick mist that clung to the river like a blanket and seeped up the land and onto the bridge. Though now that she considered it, the mist seemed to be thickening. Rolling down the river like a bank. She tensed and ensured she could move quickly from where she was hiding.

* * *

Sasuke made it his business to move around the bridge and the site, visible for moments and taking a proactive approach to defenses, letting himself be seen now and again would slow his enemies with any luck, if simply to assure them he was moving around. He didn't have a rotation to speak of and was almost exploring the bridge as he patrolled around it. Looking for hiding places and approaches he wouldn't have guessed were there.

As he traveled he found it easy to keep people in sight, he had marked a few bystanders and even workers that he was watching. Suspicion keeps one alive in the ninja trade. The hours for him moved quickly as he moved around keeping his eye on the operation, though he saw no sign of Naruto, neither down along the water where he'd said he'd be or up on the bridge at either end.

It bothered him that either Naruto was slacking or he was so well concealed he couldn't be picked out despite Sasuke actively looking for people that were out of place. He almost missed the subtle thickening of the mist as he moved. It grew on him as the blank that drifted in obscured one rail on the bridge from the other leaving everything coated in a neutral grey fog obscuring and softening until even the sound of the hammers rising and falling became muted and distant.

Slowly the sounds of work stopped all together. Sasuke checked to make sure his equipment was seated where he expected it and took deep breaths to suppress the rush of adrenaline that rose up in him. Best to save that for when something actually happened…

* * *

Naruto had gotten himself a space with a view, sitting high in a tree, concealed amongst the leaves looking down on his domain as he held his concentration on the various viewpoints under his command. Eight clones, two down by the water pretending to be ducks, two more running water and carrying materials on the bridge as workers, and the last two as kids watching the ends of the bridge. The final two were back at the Bridgebuilder's house, watching over his daughter's home from concealed locations. Tazuna was their mission, but Tsunami was if nothing else in danger by proxy.

He was secure watching the goings on from a distance. It was comfortable up high, even though the mist made it a little tricky he'd have to go down if it got any thicker probably. It was really special, being in more than one place at once. It was a powerful feeling. Being able to think about nine things at once. Listening to people gripe about the cold, complain about the lack of food, eavesdropping had a whole new dimension.

His transformation technique was top drawer, it was a talent he never let onto, when he knew he was being watched he would be cautious to downplay his skill. Being something else came as naturally to him as breathing, even supposedly very difficult transformations like great changes in size and shape were something he was quickly mastering. Combined with his talent with the shadow clone… he had been practicing some new tricks, that was the only way to call them. The smile he let himself have was feral.

From his high vantage point he saw the rolling bank of mist coming in and quickly dropped down from his hiding place into some brush and headed toward the bridge.

* * *

Tsunami knelt on the bridge, carefully bringing fresh water from the shores up to the workers, It had been a drawn out argument between Tazuna and Kakashi after Sakura's suggestion. She'd pointed out that if he was being hunted by experienced ninja then his daughter and her son were just as much at risk as he, though Inari had made himself scarce the night before and never made it home after sneaking out. Tools to get to him. Kakashi had offered her an eye crease of a smile and agreed with her. This brought a frown to both Naruto and Sasuke's faces as they wondered what would have happened if Sakura had said nothing.

Still it was with some misgivings that Tsunami found herself on the bridge. She'd been largely uninvolved in the construction. Her job usually kept her far from the project. Accidents at the site had long convinced her it was safer elsewhere. However with four ninja watching over the project she felt a little more secure about it all. So she made herself useful as best she could, carrying messages and refreshment to the workers with an industrious economy to her motions.

She found a kind of enjoyment working with her father. It was good to see him working. The confidence she remembered from her childhood came out in him on the job. He was focused striding about to ensure the work was of the highest quality. Something of a mother hen perhaps, but none complained to him. He was an architect of some skill, this was known and the evidence was in the bridge to his point. Crossing the river at its calmest point built to allow the shipping vessels beneath it. The onrush of mist caught her by surprise. It was not terribly unusual to have a fog bank roll through, but not so suddenly.

The soft silence, the noise of work slowed and became distant, swallowed by the thick air. For a moment all was silent, before a multitude of voices rang out.

"Hatake." they pronounced dramatically, all in unison. She turned toward the sounds, spinning in place and saw a group of people all alike in the mist, standing on the railings of the bridge, all around her, with something nearly as large as he on their shoulders. She gasped quietly, hands rising to her mouth.

* * *

Kakashi spotted the Zabuzas land but decided to let him have the first word. As he was obviously there to talk. He'd already proven willingness to just attack so might as well hear him out if he has something important to say. Which he might, Kakashi found himself warming to the idea of not ending up chakra exhausted again after just barely making it back to his feet. He had a hand resting on the handle of a Kunai regardless, ears and senses extended looking for the bait and switch while he waited for the missing ninja to compose himself. After a few heartbeats he gave a mental shrug and responded.

"Momochi." Kakashi responded he wasn't listening to anything but Zabuza. The man had already proven that he was utterly silent when he wanted to be. No he was waiting fo a change in air pressure. The slight natural breezes were predictable and quite small. As well as the vague sixth sense all experienced shinobi develop, the ability to feel when chakra was being used. It wasn't directional, that was the real gift of sensor types, the ability to feel where it came from was a gift beyond its surface usefulness. Something you can't be taught. So far he felt no movement, no change in the air and no use of further chakra.

"I'm here to tell you that we are done." Zabuza says crossing his arms over his chest. Of all the things Kakashi was expecting to hear, that wasn't one of them.

"Hm?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow, eye traveling from Zabuza to Zabuza.

* * *

"Are you certain master?" Haku asked in a tiny whisper of the seated Zabuza who stared up at the ceiling of their small hideaway in the predawn light.

"Yes. As much as this job isn't worth it anymore, there are two reasons to continue." he says thinking out loud for the benefit of his apprentice and greatest weapon.

"First, we are rogue. Our reputation is all we have. If we walk away from a mission, especially one like this, it will be that much harder to get another mission in the future. That is something you must never forget." Zabuza says without looking at who he was talking to.

"The second is a secondary objective, Gato is very wealthy, and he stands to become more wealthy. He will be a valuable ally. That bridge will greatly diminish his stranglehold. If we do this for him, we have leverage to push on him later." Zabuza says with a cruel sharpness. Haku bowed sharply at the waist, until his face was parallel to the floor.

"Thank you for the lesson, Master." Zabuza did not respond, but then, he never did.

"Speaking of leverage..." Zabuza says softly, contemplatively.

* * *

The Zabuzas sprung onto the bridge, hands flying to the blade of their massive swords. It was with a great heaving sigh that Kakashi took stock of his position, suppressed his Chakra and slid into the crowd on the bridge. The blade wielding missing ninja struck out, five people fell dead to the ground, neatly sliced in twain, the screams echoed as hot blood splattered on mist-frozen skin. The sudden panic of people whipping through the mist to try to leave the bridge was interrupted as kakashi appeared again to strike out at one of the Zabuzas, only to meet minimal resistance as the ninja burst into a great froth of bloody water and washed down the carefully pitched surface of the bridge out to the river below.

"Great." Kakashi says as he takes a breath and pulls up his Hitai-ite to reveal his sharingan eye.

* * *

Sasuke swallowed a shout as he watched the massive blade split a person he'd been watching in two with a seeming lack of effort. He remembered the last time, the fight in the road. But he thought further. This was not the same, and here they were not so evenly matched. There was no earth to hide in here, no trees to slip into. Just the bridge, the supplies, and an acre of water all around them. This was Zabuza's element, the battle wholy stacked in his favor. Sasuke ran toward where Tazuna had been. Hoping he would not be too late.

* * *

Sakura stayed where she was trying to keep her breathing under control. Trying to keep her eyes from resting on the steaming bodies laying on the bed of the bridge, trying to keep her eyes out. She had been near Tazuna already, she shifted so she could spring from her hiding place in an instant if she were needed. She was doing much the same mental math Sasuke was doing, albeit a bit slower, fighting the shock of seeing death so closely.

* * *

Naruto ran for the bridge as fast as he could, in the first moments two of his clones had been destroyed, the ones waiting beneath the bridge had been assassinated with a single senbon to the neck. This was a real battle. There was blood already spilled. The smell of it, the taste, hanging in the mist set his teeth on edge, and his mouth to watering.

* * *

Four Zabuza appeared from the mist around Kakashi whose response was to throw himself off the ground. He twisted like a weasel until he was nearly parallel to the surface of the bridge as the swings started. He had one advantage in this fight, the same reason he survived the previous one. The massive executioner blade that Zabuza so expertly wielded had one weakness that even his freakish strength could not compensate for. The broadness of the blade made it nearly impossible to sway from its course. Any attempt to parry it would take several times the force of the swing to deflect it from its path. This was a strength, but also an exploitable weakness. It meant the sharingan's prediction was a natural counter as there could be no feint. Every swing was a commitment.

His hands flashed through three signs and a pulse of electrical chakra flashed out from him in a crackling wave. It struck all four Zabuzas and all of them flashed into boiling water and splashed away. Not unexpected. He spared a glance and knew what he would find even before it happened, a fifth was already in the process of swinging at Tazuna's throat. Failure was always a bitter taste, but in this case, felt nearly inevitable.

Kakashi's eyes widened as Sasuke appeared beside Tazuna, his feet grabbing the surface of the bridge, then one foot lashing out upward with an audible grunt of effort. The kick was perfectly timed, it had to be, there was literally no room for error. With the young Uchiha's blazing red eyes, he'd had all the time in the world, subjectively, to plan this kick. He struck the flat of the massive blade and deflected it upward. It wouldn't be enough though, Sasuke, for all his effort, wasn't tall enough to get the blade high enough in such a manner.

The flash of pink swelled his heart with pride as her headscarf got caught on a bit of wood and pulled free. Tazuna folded like a towel as Sakura shoulder checked his stomach. There's a good chance he never even saw the attack coming, any of them. The blade passed over him by less than a hand's span. The counterstroke would still be killing though it was an admirable effort.

The sudden flash of something blonde just behind Zabuza brought a smile to Kakashi's face even as the kunai, held in a two handed grip was shoved in toward zabuza's lower back. The Mist ninja twisted like a hummingbird, the momentum of the sword giving him enough leverage to swing himself up and around the blade as it crashed towards Naruto.

The blonde had only a moment for his eyes to snap open in shock before the blade passed through him. It went in just under his arm on one side, and out the hip on the other.

He exploded into a wash of smoke that twisted in the mist for only a moment.

"What!?" Tazuna shouted breathlessly.

Kakashi let out a giggle.

* * *

Sakura looked up at Sasuke who had snapped back into a ready stance just in front of Tazuna as Sakura scrambled up in front of the man as well. Pulling out a kunai and standing ready. She was fairly certain she could not do what Sasuke had just done if she had a hundred tries to do it in. That was an examination for a later time however. More important now, was fighting someone out of their league for the three or so seconds it would take Kakashi-sensei to land and get over here, no pressure.

All the same, she started flashing through handsigns as fast as she could, hoping that Sasuke could provide her the cover she needed to get off what she needed to. Sasuke for his part was waiting to see what Zabuza's next move was. And as it turned out, it was to lash out with a side kick that Sasuke could only just slip out of the way of.

"Huh, an Uchiha, I had heard you were all dead." Zabuza commented as his attack went into the space beside Sasuke's head only for Sasuke to try to jerk himself wildly as Zabuza stuck his other foot to the bridge and used the traction to force his leg into a sweeping lash kick with a burst of chakra. He'd fought sharingan users before, and this kid was no Kakashi. He caught the heel to the shoulder and sprawled the child to the ground just as he turned to look at the little girl who was holding a hand sign.

Then she and the bridgebuilder were gone. The bridge stretched on out into the mist, empty and quiet. He couldn't hear Kakashi in the air behind him, he would be landing within a second, the Uchiha's harsh breathing was absent, even the panic he'd heard in the girl's wheezing was gone.

Genjutsu. He realized swiftly and started to dodge, even though It had taken him not even two seconds to notice the shift, but that was two seconds of time he had probably needed to end this in one swoop.

Focusing his center he held his breath and stilled his chakra for a moment. And for that moment, everything was numb and cold as he slipped the tethers of the illusion opening his eyes to reality once more. To find a pain blossoming in his thigh, his sudden dodge had spoiled the aim of the Uchiha child and caused a more grazing cut. If he'd been a full ninja this could have been the end right here. Luckily he was not that skilled yet.

Zabuza there decided the Uchiha would not make it there at all. He hadn't expected a Genjutsu attack. Normally that was far too much control and finesse for a child to perform, however now he would be ready. His counterstroke with the Headsman's blade was swift. The Uchiha, to gain the speed he needed, had jumped forward to ensure he could get a clean strike, probably as soon as he'd realized his opportunity.

Zabuza's slash was just as telegraphed as the previous, the Uchiha clearly saw it. Zabuza allowed himself to savor all the little emotions playing across the child's face. The knowledge of death, the anger, the unspeakable grief as the blade passed through him from sacrum to collar bone. In that moment the blonde's face was twisted in agony and Zabuza's eyes widened as the body burst into smoke of a dispelling clone. As the swing completed and Zabuza was already bringing his blade up to defend himself as Kakashi closed, thrusting out with a kunai in a much smoother, grounded fashion compared to the blonde boy's attack moments before.

Zabuza managed to put the sword between them blocking the Sharingan wielding legend from sight. The hardest part of fighting the white haired eel was avoiding looking at his face. He sensed the attack even as he focused his attention to the one in front of him. Lashing a long kick at the Jonin as the Uchiha child's attack struck the air behind him with a ringing ping, gouging only the smallest chip from the glass-like pane of ice that had suddenly formed.

Sasuke had only a moment to react as a figure struck out at him swift as a cat from outside his field of vision, catching only the glimmer of something out the corner of his eye as the absolute silence of the approach made his eyes go wide. A senbon held in sure fingers, painted nails and porcelain mask standing out in the gloomy mist diving for him.

"You again!" Sasuke grunted as the needle struck him in what the hunter-masked ninja could reach. The needle poking out of his shoulder throbbed and his entire arm suddenly felt like it was on fire. He reached up and grabbed the needle pulling it out with a scream and throwing it aside.

"Uchiha!" the Pink haired girl screamed as Sasuke snapped his eyes up and entered into the deadliest dance of his life. A senbon held in each hand thrusting for his arms, his legs, his face. After the first stab he had absolutely no desire to take one again. He was forced away from Zabuza and Kakashi's fight He had never in his life experienced that kind of pain, it was still echoing in his brain, making him feel slow, and fuzzy. Distantly he realized it was a kind of shock.

Sakura gasped at the second attack and was already throwing three shuriken as she bounded forward to assist. The strange ninja dropped one of the senbon, hand twisting into strange one handed half-seals as the air seemed to shimmer a moment, frost gathering in her breath as her shuriken hit a small field of nearly invisible transparent spikes of ice that shattered with the impacts.

Her distraction failing as Sasuke tried to press in, scoring only glancing blows as the fighter seemed to flow like water, slipping around each attack into a merely glancing blow, accepting touches for strikes. Only the Sharingan's predictive power kept him from having a needle poking out of his knee instead of a stinging tear in his shin for his trouble. Another needle hole appeared in his hand when he tried to punch. His arm with the stabbed shoulder was sluggish with pain and trembling. He used it to fend where he could but his opponent was fast as the wind, he needed space, or some kind of moment to regain his footing but simply couldn't find it.

The relief came from an unexpected angle, from the edge of the bridge came a flash of grey and deep orange springing at the ninja's back like a cat. blades in both hands. The Masked ninja only reacted because Sasuke's eyes flicked up to Naruto for an instant. The masked ninja grabbed onto the bridge with both feet and snapped backwards at an incredible angle hand spearing out at Naruto's chest even as the blond's face twisted in shock. The needle plunged into his chest, nearly disappearing as the ninja grabbed his jacket with one hand, unable to fully avoid taking two shallow slashes across their slim midriff with all the force of a leaping Naruto. The kunai in each hand tore cloth and the sound was not abdominals being shredded but the sound of metal sliding across many tiny pieces of metal.

The Ninja flashes a few more of the strange one handed seals and from the pools of water on the bridge flickers of near invisibility spike up spearing Naruto's thorax and pinning him in the air like a macabre butterfly on long needles of ice.

Sakura dives at the Ninja twisting into a picture perfect axe kick around the ice spikes that glances off the masked ninja's shoulder, noticeably deflecting their trajectory even as Sasuke steps up to send a kick straight for the groin.

The twinned impacts force the masked ninja to retreat further from Zabuza, body tense and gasping on suddenly wobbly knees as they frantically flash through a series of full seals completing them even as two kunai thrust into the space where the ninja had just been, striking only another nearly perfectly transparent pane of ice rising off the bridge.

The two genin hop back to back as they both look around as fast as they can, flickering images of the masked ninja appearing to stalk the mist, then the senbon begin to fly. Pieces of ice, slick and moving fast as any steel flicker from the sliding ninja. Sasuke jumps at one as it comes close only to punch straight into a pane of ice with a thunderous crack spider-webbing the ice and cutting his hand badly on the glass-like shards as Sakura bounds backward to cover him.

"Mirrors of ice." Sakura breaths, looking around herself as the flickering image of the ninja appears and vanishes in a pattern she can now understand, moving from reflection to reflection, breaking up their position even as they circle to attack from a strange angle.

"My Sharingan treats the damned reflections like the real thing, I can't tell where they are!" Sasuke grunts through gritted teeth.

"And Naruto's…." he starts as they both waste a moment looking at the impaled, blood-dripping blonde. Still spasmodically twitching on his pins.

"De~" Sakura starts as she blinks back a tear only for, when her eyes are open, Naruto to be gone.

A feeling rises in the mist. Sakura thinks it is probably her imagination, as her skin starts to crawl in earnest and the cold mist makes her feel sticky. That the mist has taken on a red tinge… Her heart pounded in her chest, the tiny animal part of her brain starts to panic and scream. Everything seems to still as the feeling grows and a tiny noise, like a growl fills the air.

* * *

Naruto shivers awake face breaking through the surface of the vast pool of water, every motion sending endless ripples out through the trees, each trunk perfectly straight and topped with a foliage so dense, so thick it blots out the sky entirely the whole of the swamp shrouded in a warm mist that clings to the water's surface. He casts around himself, eyes wide, reliving a thousand, thousand nightmares.

However, the feeling of pursuit, the yips and barks in the darkness, the whispering voices of hatred and anger are absent. The lingering feeling of unease remains but it is distant. There is still a nightmarish quality. The thickets of trees blocking sightlines as he wanders in the swamp, silent but for the sounds he makes as he fords the shin deep water, the only light provided by tiny lotus that burn with a pale blue smokeless luminescence. The sounds echo strangely, the murmur of water, the shifting of leaves.

After an eternity of trudging, he pauses and then perceives something, a flow. A current travels past his legs and he begins to walk against it, past the endless bog grass and burning lilies he follows it, pulled ever stronger like a reverse gravity toward the slightest difference. In all his nightmares he was pushed along with the flow, away from the braying in the dark. Now he seeks the fountainhead.

Slowly the changes in the bog makes itself known, the trees grow larger, older, the water deeper and the current ever just slightly stronger, the roots branch out and the burning lilies grow in bunches. A faint breeze blows in his face, warm and filled with the cloying scent of wet rot. The smell of a bog.

As the water deepens all the way to his thighs he finds himself pushing up to the surface to walk on the water as he had been taught. Even as he tries he finds no chakra answers his call, though he can walk upon the surface as easily as dry land he walks, pushed by the constant of the current he comes upon the origin, a valley, where from the stygian depths the water flows uphill, away from the source of the cloying mist, the darkness far below where ever larger stones break up the flow and force it to rift and eddy as it defies all logic and flees the pull of gravity.

Looking down the valley Naruto feels his stomach do flips and he carefully begins picking his way down the valley. He finds the stone worn together holes and eddies roiling beneath threatening to shatter and shred him if he falls in it only drives him on as the mighty rocks allow him a path ever down.

As the light fades to nothingness, a visible darkness that hangs utterly over every inch he walks until he finds the origin. At the very bottom, there is a vast lake, its edges push into the infinite in every direction. The only thing to mark the exit is the rushing of water. In the absolute darkness though there is a pinprick of difference, something in the center of the vast lake. He knows it is the center and he walks toward it, as it slowly grows, like a gazebo. The structure a circle of stone rising out of the lake, settled in a tiny depression that seems to repel the water around it.

Stepping up to the perfectly formed eight great arches he finds that within the structure is a pit octagonal, reflecting the arches in perfect symmetry. Stepping up to the edge of the pit hanging in the air above it is a rope on a tiny bell that silently shivers the air, a faint red mist flowing down from it out into the lake around.

Naruto's eyes are drawn down into the pit where resting at the very bottom in a tiny curl is an animal. A fox black paws lay stretched out an orange fur around a soft white furred muzzle. He stares down at the fox and then the space echoes. A voice rises as the bell becomes audible, a silver tone announcing and punctuating each sentence. A tone so pure it banishes the warm fog from this place.

"We meet. Welcome."

As Naruto's eyes meet the Fox's red eye all at once his vision is consumed, not by a single small fox, but a vast being, so great and terrible his mind recoils from it.

A scream echoes and echoes in the empty space, bouncing off the walls and coming back as the awful truth of the creature laying in the pit blossoms in his mind in all its infinite, ageless malice. Boundless, having witnessed the beginning, when all came to be. To seeing the rise of the petty creatures. Time unspools in its vision and eternity is but a sleepless night. The horror batters him, Its looming inevitability, Its boundless hunger, and most of all, its infinite patience.

The patience of a carnivore.

The patience of a predator.

The patience of a Fox.

* * *

Kakashi danced with Zabuza further and further along the bridge. There was no other way to call it. The fight was intense and he knew, by inches he was losing, he needed some distraction. But Zabuza would give him no space and he couldn't easily create it himself.

Trying to use a technique in the enemy's face was a surefire way to get struck and given Zabuza's skill in close combat, that was a death sentence. Fighting with a kunai against one of the legendary swordsman of the mist was draining, he was already feeling the drain of using the sharingan, and neither of them had managed a decisive strike yet.

Kakashi had avoided his fair share, but the margins were going to get narrow in the near future as he had to choose between keeping the Sharingan open and keeping his feet. He heard the wet impact and the grunts of effort from the others behind him, but couldn't break from this duel to even look.

All at once his opportunity came. The air shivered, the cold mist became warm and sticky, and his skin started to crawl like a million insects had descended upon him. The feeling shocked Zabuza, he could tell by the momentary hesitation before the next step in his combination. Enough space for Kakashi to make two hand signs and throw out a tiny sonic boom, a rush of pressure and air and a flash of light that let him get the space he needed to leap further back yet. He started on a longer string of hand signs as Zabuza struggled to recover and held up his blade in a warding position to shrug off the last vestiges from the flash-bang technique. He'd only have about three seconds tops but it should be enough, cutting his thumb on a bur on his jacket placed for just this purpose he flicked his head to cover his Sharingan and slammed his bleeding hand to the ground putting a significant chakra investment into his technique. Calling the one thing that could tip such a battle, Backup.

It was then he noticed the atmosphere again, it was jarring, but familiar in a terrible way. Even as he felt his call answered and around him appeared four jacket-and-hitai-ite wearing dogs, the feeling intensified and he suddenly had the feeling of being watched by something terrible, something terrible and angry. It was cowing, it froze him for a moment, like a rabbit staring down a dog. The dogs let out a piteous whine and gathered on Kakashi instinctively growling at the empty mist.

Zabuza stood crouched, like he expected an attack from every angle.

"Show Yourself!" he screamed into the haze. He was answered with a scream.

* * *

Sakura couldn't move the terrible pressure, so familiar, but magnified a thousand times, her heart pounded in her throat, her lungs couldn't get air, her limbs shivered and trembled as she knew, in that moment, beyond any doubt, she would die. And then all at once, the pressure shifted, the eyes of death settled elsewhere and she could open her eyes she didn't remember closing to see Sasuke, shaking like a leaf but still standing staring into the murk, his Sharingan spinning like a windmill in a thunderstorm, eyes white and wide with terror as they darted about furtively seeking the source. The scream sent both of them to the ground as they jumped at the sudden noise.

* * *

Haku tried to breath, his skin crawled and the one he killed had seemed to merely vanish. Then the gaze settled upon him like a weight and he found, for a moment, his feet frozen to the ground. His heart pounded, his blood rushed and he could feel it all the way in his throat.

The terror was sudden as the feeling of horrible pain and he looked down at his hands, to find them missing, great maws of frothing, red water twisted into the mouths of some horrible predator filled with row upon row of viciously sharp teeth rising from the mist in front of him. The spurting stumps where his delicate, fine-boned hands had been drew up to his face and he couldn't help but scream, the scream echoed oddly.

His chakra spiked and went wild as he tried to defend himself all at once the water leapt to him and created a great ball of ice around him. Encasing and sealing his hands that were shocked by the cold, the sudden cold thrust him out of the illusion as he saw not one but three of the yellow haired ninja with claws sinking into the dome of ice. Attempting to ambush him in his moment of distraction.

A strange red haze rising from his spilt blood, his paled complection twisted in frighteningly eager anger. It was then he saw the claws. Each of them had wicked clawed fingers that were melting his ice and pushing deeper all aimed toward him. He slipped his hands out of the ice and formed signs, he needed to retreat. He could not look into the eyes of the blonde, it was like staring into the eyes of death.

All at once he was flickering again, pulling himself from pane to pane of near-invisible ice mirrors only to have each shattered even as he moved between them like fading light. The pack of blondes had grown despite him not seeing a single hand sign to five, then six. Appearing ahead of him and to the sides. Corralling, herding him back to the center of the bridge, away from the water, away from his master and the dubious safety either offered in that moment.

He attacked the copies only to have them vanish like morning mist as the ice senbon passed through them, only to be replaced a moment later from a new angle. He felt again, as a cat. Normally the hunter, now hunted. It was a terrible feeling he remembered from his childhood before his master took him in, taught him the way. A pitiful, crying child lived within him still as tears hovered, unshed behind his mask.

* * *

Zabuza found equilibrium again then was immediately forced on the defensive, finding himself no longer merely fighting Sharingan Kakashi, but also four ninja dogs as well. The feeling of his crawling skin still lingered but he could fight through such a minor issue. The bites of a pack of chakra using dogs however was a different issue. He fended, but it is impossible to defend against five angles at once. Worse it gave Kakashi the space he needed to manage his chakra and use his techniques.

More than once Zabuza had to accept a worrying bite to forestall a potentially lethal technique. The tables had been turned so thoroughly he was now seeking a way out of his own trap. But every time he tried to make a break for the water he was hemmed in by growling mutts.

It was only a matter of time before he took a serious wound, he's managed to keep it to grazes and a few bleeding tears so far. But he was losing blood and even his prodigious stamina and strength were starting to flag. He lashed out to fend another hound and finally he heard a bark and felt teeth sink into the meat of his leg, he felt his blood gush as he let out a roar.

* * *

Haku heard his master cry out and began a dash toward his goal even as he saw flashes of red and yellow, then black and pink. The two children and the monster all pursuing him as he ran. He had failed to secure the bridgebuilder, he was failing to occupy the young team, as his failures mounted he redoubled his speed racing for his master's side where just maybe he could find a wall to put his back against.

* * *

The first biting dog had given a second the chance, an arm and a leg grabbed and anchored Kakashi had flashed through four hand signs then Zabuza felt his hair stand on end as a sound like birdsong filled the air, static pulling at his hair as thunder danced around the hand of his enemy. He looked kakashi in the eye then, and he saw his death.

In that moment something opened within him, a feeling he had not had in so long, the chalky fingers of death awakened in him the surge of blood that earned him his name. He lashed out, tearing the dogs from their rooting and clapped them together, banishing both with a yelp as he charged his personal reaper with a cry of defiance.

"Master!" Haku cried as he approached. Kakashi didn't hesitate. He surged forward stabbing with a hand as though it were the deadliest sword. Zabuza turned his blade as a shield bent to deflect the blow and grasp his opponent by the throat. The need to defy, the drive to survive burned in him.

Kakashi was undeterred. His hand pushing straight for Zabuza's chest, despite the sword. His hand wreathed in shaped Chakra, crackling with destructive power touched Kubikiri Houcho, the mighty inches thick blade of a thousand, thousand executions and, like so much glass, it shattered.

The shock in Zabuza's eyes as his tool was broken was stopped only as he felt the blade, sharp as lightning, push past it into his gut. Folding him around the arm that protruded from his back blood boiling away from the limb as the triumphant sound of so many chittering of the flock of birds faded away. Zabuza grasped the arm of the man who had, in all likelihood, killed him until they were face to face.

"Damn you." He said staring into the dull, accepting eye of his doom, incarnated.

"I did not start this fight. You sought it out." Kakashi said quietly, his tone soft, pained. Zabuza stared, searching in Kakashi's eye.

"Yes." Zabuza gasped

"Your fight is done now, Demon of the Hidden Mist." Kakashi continued quietly, almost intimately. He jerked his arm back, the sleeve already soaked through with blood and fluids less mentionable, he placed an arm on Zabuza's chest and pushed him back unsheathing his arms as loops of burst intestine and a fountain of blood cascaded down. Zabuza, unable to keep his feet fell, still reaching for Kakashi even as the Assassin stepped back.

"No…" came a quiet word as Haku landed stumbling and fell to his hands and knees, just a whisper. Covered in cuts that bled freely, like claw tracks. Many were shallow, near misses, but a few were deeper. He looked mauled, as though he had fought a beast and barely escaped with his life. His clothes in tatters. His mask askew.

"NO!" he screamed so loud his voice cracked. He tore off his mask and scrambled to his feet running toward them, Kakashi stepped back and his two dogs rose up to growl, ready to pounce but Haku had eyes only for Zabuza, running to him as hands extended.

"I can fix this! You will not die! You Cannot die!" he gasped, breathless as his hands went to grip Zabuza's midriff, ice spreading from his hands, closing the bleeding hole with frost.

"Haku." Zabuza said quietly, staring up into the mist.

"Do not close your eyes, do not!" the young man spat.

"I have a mission for you." Zabuza said quietly. Haku paused looking at his pale face, serious, but finally accepting though tears unshed gathered again in his eyes.

"Anything, Master. Anything." Haku said reaching with trembling hands taking strong, thick calloused hand into his own delicate grip, tight enough to make bones creak though Zabuza did not complain.

"Take up my mantle, make Mist pay." he said quietly as he looked Haku in the eye finally.

"Become…." he started, and then he breathed out, and was gone.

* * *

Even as Haku came to a stumbling stop Sasuke and Sakura landed behind him only steps behind now that the beast had harried the assassin in the mask so badly. But had fallen behind nearly half a minute before. Vanished into the mist as its anger and lingering unease still permeated the air. A sound startled Sakura and she spun, blade in hand ready to sell her life dearly, when she saw a familiar silhouette stumble through the mist.

"Naruto!? You're… alive!?" she gasped, and Sasuke spun around to look back at their blonde teammate. Who stared past them, eyes half lidded, in a fugue.

He looked about to collapse, like a man burned out and he stumbled to his knees only to rise up.

"Get him… going… going to get him…." he muttered to himself the mist seemingly seeped through his skull into his mind.

"Who? The masked ninja… was, was that you!?" Sasuke stammered stepping toward Naruto and reaching out a hand to grab the blood-stained blonde only to look in his eye and recoil, just a fraction, at the malice he saw there. He had seen a sparkle of anger here and there, even a moment of vindiction. But here he saw hate, raw and bleeding and naked.

"Naruto…?" He asked, afraid to touch the blonde who paused and seemed to wake up, if only a moment and look from Sasuke to Sakura.

"W-what?" the boy managed to ask before his legs gave out and his teammates had to rush forward to keep his face from meeting the bridge's surface harder than was recommended. They lifted the boy up between them as Sasuke looked back to where Haku knelt over Zabuza while Sakura inspected all the holes in Naruto's clothes.

"What!?" she hissed. "But I saw…!" drawing Sasuke's attention back as Sakura pressed her fingers into Naruto's unbroken skin, not even a scar to show what his clothes confirmed had been no illusion.

No answer from the blonde, whose body bore none of the wounds of his near death experience, but also could no longer keep him going. So thoroughly exhausted he was asleep literally on his feet. The three Genin, slightly worse for wear, walked toward Kakashi, one hiding his limp from his injuries, one chewing a lip in silent reflection, and the last numb to the world.

Kakashi stepped back from the two of them looking back to the three children. All four of them were a little beaten up, Sakura the least of the bunch through sheer fortune.

"Where is Tazuna." Kakashi asked. Sasuke and Sakura snapped looking at each other and then veritably hurled Naruto into Kakashi's arms and went sprinting up the bridge, as fast as their feet could carry them. Kakashi lifted the limp boy onto his shoulder.

"Dammit, Sarutobi, I wanted to Retire…"

* * *

A/N: Apologies this took me so long to write, but I literally rewrote this mess at least 6 times. barely a single sentence of the original and not a single scene remains. We're still not Quite done in Wave. But the climax is certainly behind us. All that's left is taking out the trash. now we've diverged quite a bit from the canon. Here's to finding the path by walking it. As always, the way I improve as a writer is by your criticism. Without your thoughts, opinions, and feelings I do not know what I am doing right or wrong, merely that people are still reading. Please, if you enjoy this story, tell me why, even if you feel your reasoning isn't special. Thank you for your time.

Special thanks to:  
Lizzie - as always your enthusiasm is infectious and I would be lying if I said it didn't excite me by proxy. That said, I always attempt to work in character development. Every scene Must do one of three things to be included in the final chapter and if a scene is removed it is because it doesn't advance one of these aims: 1, Teach the reader something new about a character; 2, teach the reader something about the world; or advance the plot in a meaningful way.

ZabZab- thank you for your honesty, your criticism, and your thoroughness.


	11. Compound Fracture

_A/N: This is now my longest story. More than 50k words behind me, and so much more story to tell. I hope you're all having fun, as much as I have a hard time actually putting fingers to keys, I love the act of creation. It is rewarding to me in a way nothing else truly is. Join me, in your own way, in a toast. To Calliope, may she look favorably upon the deserving._

_Work is picking up again, so sorry to say that this irregular kind of updating is likely to be the norm._

* * *

There were a few tense moments of abject panic as Sasuke and Sakura put aside their injuries to shoot through the mist probably more quickly than was advisable. That said they did find Tazuna relatively quickly, the fall had taken him badly. Turns out being spear tackled by someone boosting their muscles with chakra was like being hit with a very small very dense cart. His leg was quite broken, his knee buckled when Sakura hit him. The adrenaline kept him from noticing immediately but he was quite immobile at the moment. Kakashi had set down the still unconscious Naruto to have a look at the leg and brushed off his hands declaring that Tazuna would recover. The bridgebuilder was so unamused that he began hurling bits of building material, mostly wood at Kakashi who allowed the pieces to hit him, though not in the head. The old man wore himself out pretty quickly and the next words out of his mouth were.

"Where is my daughter!?" that caused a shared three way look that sent Sakura and Sasuke out again to search through the mist.

* * *

"Never put all your clams in one bucket." the wild haired man said as he shucked open a self-same clam, cooked to perfection and popped it in his mouth. He sat at a small table with three burly men standing nearby. The table had a fine tablecloth and he had a nice bottle of sake sitting by as he ate and listened to the words of the scarred and squirrelish man standing nearby wringing his hands.

"I figured there was a possibility that schmuck Zabuza would bungle the whole thing. One doesn't get where I am by being stupid." the short man said with a smile as he carelessly ate his find food, gesturing to the man with a fork.

"You have to understand, there's more than one way to skin a cat." he said making a stabbing motion with the utensil.

"I thought I'd put an end to the bullshit when we drowned that upstart fisherman. Some people just don't get it. That's fine though. Tomorrow we'll put an end to this." The man said going back to his food with gusto, then speaking with his mouth full.

"You see~" pausing to swallow and take another bite. "I'm through being nice." He said as he chewed. Then after he'd swallowed and taken a sip of sake he looked up at the nervous man.

"I'm through with you, get out of here!" he said with a sweep of his dinner knife sending the man scrambling to get away.

"I'll teach them why you don't play games with Gato. This bridge thing is over if I have to tear it apart one plank at a time." He finished as he continued his meal in silence. His mind on other things as the candle light of his table cast flickering shadows all around him.

* * *

The mist finally began to burn off, the sun hazily began to relight the bridge. It felt like coming into the dawn. They searched high and low for Tsunami. They finally found her at home. Sakura bitterly complained they should have checked there first. However, the tears were unexpected. Tsunami was cooking, but her crisp motions were broken, her breath hitched and buckled. Her eyes were puffy and stained. Her face gripped in a rictus of anger and despair.

"Tsunami?" Sakura asked as the woman furiously chopped, slamming down her knife and nearly taking off her own finger as she whipped a hand and pointed at the table, cluttered with ingredients. There was a piece of paper, one that had clearly been torn from the door. Sakura took it and her hands shook as she read then looked away sharply. Sasuke took it and stared. Tsunami's furious work was broken by sobbing, barely contained.

"T-they…." She started just once but the keen that came from her mouth was cut off as she tried to talk. Sasuke set the paper down and bowed to Tsunami and leaned to Sakura and spoke in barely a whisper.

"I am going to report to Sensei. Stay here." He said Sakura was shivering but she took a shallow breath held it for three pounding heartbeats and let it go looking to the black haired boy. So much passed in that glance. Sasuke saw in Sakura a fury, he'd seen glimpses and flashes of her anger, it broke things, it thrashed out. Always with direction, always with purpose. He saw fire in her eye. Sakura looked into Sasuke's eye and saw only ice. The cool couldn't reach her, but she could feel it. Black as tar, thick as a glacier. Though their response was opposite, they both could peer into the depths. Sasuke left without a sound.

The note fluttered in a stray breeze but stayed put, it read in a steady hand, each letter well formed and spaced properly.

"Tazuna,

Your grandson is with us. You will destroy your bridge starting tomorrow or you will never see Inari alive again. There will be no further warnings."

It was direct, and without subtlety; there was little need. Sakura felt for the woman who had fed and cared for them in their brief stay. She saw in that woman her own mother, and that was enough. Sasuke saw in that note his own cousins, lives balanced on a knife's edge. With only a moment Sakura turned back to Tsunami and Sasuke headed for the door.

* * *

Sasuke had never run so fast he was sure; his legs burning with the exertion, his face blank as he processed. He was making a plan, the skeleton of one. It put shivers up his spine, just considering what had happened to Tsunami.

He came upon Kakashi and Tazuna walking along, the old man with a makeshift crutch that he used with clear skill born of practice. He was aided by Naruto who seemed to have recovered in part though his face was still pale, his normal poise absent, his feet just barely seeming to drag.

He landed standing straight and the three of them stopped. Naruto's eyes landed on Sasuke before he'd even stopped, Kakashi didn't look up from his book. Tazuna's brows knitted together.

"Uchiha?" Naruto asked cautiously. Sasuke took a deep breath.

"Gato has kidnapped Inari." Kakashi's eye closed and his book snapped shut a moment later. Tazuna nearly fell, his face flushed bright red.

"What!? Kidnapped!?" He was so upset he put his weight on his broken leg and went cross eyed from the pain, his breath left him in a whuff of pain. The only reason he kept his footing was Naruto's quick hands holding him up easily.

"You need to take it easy, sir." The blonde said in a deferential tone that snapped the bridgebuilder's head around to meet the serene looking smile of the blonde boy, as the grin threatened to eat his head.

"We'll get your grandson back, neh, right sensei?" he asked and Kakashi sighed but didn't answer.

"See? He didn't disagree." Naruto says with an easy confidence. Pushing Tazuna to start walking again, and walk they did, at a glacial pace for Sasuke, who's mind rung with purpose. His blood surged and every second felt so long.

* * *

"Sensei, I have~" Sasuke started but Kakashi's glare silenced him, then the cyclops' gaze slid to Tazuna who looked like a man on a mission. Sasuke bit his tongue and walked with them. It was many long minutes of walking before they made it back to the little river-island home. To find Sakura and Tsunami furiously cooking. Sakura shredded cabbage with a sharp knife making quick precise cuts with far too much force while Tsunami stood with her hands braced on the countertop, literally watching water come to a boil as though the face of her anger and grief would speed it along.

"Tsunami!" Tazuna gasped and the woman jumped, literally. She was so tense she nearly ended up on the ground but only managed to slap a hand to her chest and spin to the door. She sprinted at Tazuna her face turning bright red as the tears that had been threatening, the anger that had been roiling finally spilled forth.

"That garbage took my boy! He took my boy!" she screamed. Her grip clearly hurting Tazuna but he suffered in silence, consumed by a frightful mix of relief and emotional pain, and not a small amount of physical pain as well.

"What do they want?" he asked, pushing her back to arms length as practically spit out the words.

"The Bridge! Destroy everything or they'll kill him…" she said trying to look her father in the eyes through the tears.

"So looks like we have to go for it tonight then." Naruto says breaking into the moment with a winning smile that was edged with malice, his earlier tiredness passing like a summer rain.

Sakura was shaken a moment then nodded decisively, her anger seeing a potential outlet and leaping at it.

Sasuke didn't say anything, but he didn't have to. Not speaking against the idea was his assent. Kakashi sighed.

"Who's going to stay here and make sure they don't just sneak in and take Tazuna's head off, like they've already tried to, _Today_?" Kakashi intoned glaring down at his three students who looked between one another with a look trying to convince one of their number to take the fall. However it was the man himself who spoke up.

"You would do it? Get rid of Gato and get my grandson back?" Tazuna asks with terrible anger shared by the genin.

"For sure, believe it!" Naruto declares, hands on hips while Kakashi rolls an eye surreptitiously.

"Then the answer's already around you, why didn't they just kill me before? The villagers know what I'm doing, know who it helps. That's why I got a tip to get myself some protection when I did. It wasn't just luck… I didn't, um, know what it was precisely, but I knew that something was coming." Tazuna said scratching his chin and looking anywhere but Kakashi. Naruto and Sakura shared an eye roll.

"They'll protect me, if I ask them to. We all know what's at stake, especially if you can really do it. Gato's greed is strangling us. I don't have any more to give than we already have." Tazuna says with hard eyes.

"Me and the kids are going to have a talk." Kakashi says as he shooes his team upstairs.

"We'll be back down in time for dinner, we'd hate to waste your hard work." Kakashi says as Tsunami flushes a little bit and shuffles back to her cooking where the pot she'd been watching was threatening to boil over as she deftly adjusted it's position on the stove.

* * *

"We have to help!" Sakura hisses as they get upstairs into the little room they were borrowing.

"What is our mission, again?" Kakashi asks with a humorless smile.

Sakura flushes bright red and mumbles a moment before Sasuke speaks up.

"To protect Tazuna from bandits while he finishes the bridge." he says quietly. His tone thoughtful. Naruto has a hand up to his chin, eyes closed in concentration as he sits on the ground cross legged deep in thought.

"S-so, if they never complete the bridge, we're stuck here right?" Sakura says finding an angle and jumping on it as quickly as she can.

"Taking out Gato or saving Inari could have been missions all into themselves." Sasuke says carefully looking at Kakashi who's now watching Sasuke carefully.

"The mission doesn't include his daughter or his grandson… but isn't it wrong to leave them to make this kind of decision when we're here and capable of helping?" Sakura says quickly as Sasuke crosses his arms.

"Command might get angry with us, pushing out and doing a mission that could be worth a whole lot more than what we were paid to do." Sasuke says still staring at Kakashi who hasn't broken off from him either. Then from the ground comes a small voice.

"But didn't we already do that?" Naruto says eyes still closed and arms now crossed over his chest.

"We were hired to fight off bandits, not ninja, and that Zabuza guy didn't seem like he was on par with a bandit. I've never met one, but I bet I could take on a bandit or two without dying." Naruto muses.

"That's right! Zabuza wasn't part of this mission! We're committed to helping Wave, we're already here, and saving Inari doesn't just mean we get to go home sooner to take on a different mission quicker, but also builds up the economy of a nation that has a reason to remember who helped them!" she says thrusting out a hand with a sudden smile blooming on her face as Sasuke shakes his head.

"In for a penny is a logical fallacy, you should know that." he says derisively. "...But I want to help. I know what it is like to lose family…"

"Even if the kid's a brat." Naruto says and Sasuke makes a face but doesn't disagree.

"Sensei, we need to help them, if for no other reason than it's the right thing to do!" Sakura says with a fierceness in her voice that draws a look from both Sasuke and Sakura.

"Sometimes a mission expands while you're on it, and you have to make a decision whether to stick with it or cut out. That's what they taught us." Sasuke said quietly. Naruto chimed in with a firm tone.

"So we help, because it's good for the mission, and good for the people." He nods firmly and Kakashi's one eye wrinkles up in a hidden smile.

"Well, then I suppose that's decided. Somebody should go tell Tsunami, and Tazuna, I guess." He mumbled with a shrug. The three of them look at each other and with a shrug from Sasuke, and a nod from Naruto, Sakura straightens her back and heads downstairs.

* * *

"His main office is up river! About a mile, it has his mark on the door! The building is grey with a green roof!" The man said staring down at the rushing rapids of the water that occasionally licked his face as he danged by one ankle, hands bound. Three Narutos held the rope while Sasuke questioned him Kakashi lingered at the edge of the little group while Sakura took notes just off to the side and suggested questions. Two more Narutos were already upriver heading further to seek out the building in the waning light of evening.

Though it had taken three interrogations to get something usable, Sasuke had been quietly impressed when Naruto had lead them straight to men who worked for Gato, or so he said. That Naruto was right in his accusation raised his estimation of the blonde.

It had been Sakura's suggestion for the interrogation method. She'd deferred to Sasuke to actually do the questioning, admitting she would probably stutter, and that definitely ruins the effect. Kakashi chose to stand by with his hands behind his back, overseeing. It was very strange to be doing the kinds of interrogations they'd been told they would be subjected to as Sasuke signaled and the Narutos dipped the man's body in the water causing another bout of violent thrashing. The Narutos let him down there a while before pulling him up sputtering and gasping.

"You've been very helpful, thank you for that service. But I feel like you know more. So, let's keep this little chat going…" Sasuke said with that sort of cool calm that of the three of them only he could manage. Naruto always had a jitteriness about him, an energy, that just didn't suit for this kind of interrogation, plus he seemed like he was having a lot of fun being the rope-man. Which was nice. He was given to seemingly random bouts of loudness and extroversion but had a definitely grimness to him. Needless, they were getting some good stuff. Sakura was getting a picture together that Naruto had three clones heading forward to have a look and do a little recon. A tactic approved by Kakashi who seemed more than happy to not contribute much to the operation for or against.

* * *

Sakura wouldn't admit but she was happy to be recording and analyzing what they got, because it gave her an excuse to not look at what was happening. It's one thing to know that you need to gather information, especially quickly, and another entirely to be wholly comfortable with torture and interrogation. She supposed that would be something of a weakness, but she just didn't have the stomach for that kind of one-sided violence. Call her a bleeding heart if one must. She continued to feed Sasuke questions surreptitiously as they worked the guy over before eventually leaving him bound by the side of the road a ways off the path. They didn't need to kill the guy, and their job would likely be done before retribution for interrogating a hired thug could catch up to them.

* * *

Sasuke fell easily into the role of lead interrogator, maintaining calm was something he was good at, and he liked to think he had a certain presence. It was likely doubly effective because they'd never let the man get a proper judge of their size. Sasuke kept his collar high and spoke just loud enough to be commanding without shouting. It was a fine line to tread. He was having a time trying to read the man through the trauma though, he wished he'd had more time to work on this kind of thing. It seemed like a skill that should have been taught more. But he supposed the Academy had to keep most of its instruction broad. He just wished that more of the curriculum had been focused on being the interrogator, not the interrogatee. Reversing a lot of what he learned from the latter was working well enough on this guy though. Sasuke would have to describe the event as personally satisfying, if a bit too easy.

* * *

Naruto's attention was divided, watching the team work on their captive was not terribly important though reading what Sakura was writing as an ongoing blueprint for his other set of clones. They had already headed out when they got the first hint of a location, transformed into more innocuous people to blend into the people of Wave, naturally.

He watched as Sakura drew up a map, more of a thought map than a topographical one but it was quick to read and quicker to annotate as she worked. So Naruto was freer to focus his attention to coordinating up river. He had found the likely compound. It had Gato's seal on it and was a set of five warehouses around what looked to be a three story manor. There was a broad yard and three sizeable retractable docks. The wall was wood and had a walkway at the top ringed with what looked to be thorny ivy, clever and probably poisonous.

Now the question became how to get in, and where Inari was hidden away. The three Narutos watched from the trees through the mist shrouded afternoon trailing toward evening as Naruto lead the team toward the compound

His clones watched people move around the compound. At least a dozen guards, six or so workers shuffling goods in and out of the warehouses. A puzzle waiting for a clever enough mind. A nice little nest just waiting for an enterprising predator.

* * *

It was the kind of silent approach Naruto specialized in so he volunteered and nobody gainsaid him. The bridge had taught them to respect the blonde's skill in infiltration. He waited until the team was safely positioned in the trees overlooking within easy speaking range so they could all see what was happening. Naruto's smile was eager as he made two new clones, let the others dispel and sent in the fresh clones that slipped into the place like shadows.

Sasuke watched the guards, this mind picking a route through the compound that would give them the most time to move in or out given likely times for people to run. Risky, but necessary estimations.

Sakura was quietly speaking to Naruto who had a distant look of concentration on his face. She was pointing and he would nod. It was strange thinking that distantly Naruto was in at least two other places. It was creepy, he had no idea how he'd gotten his hands on such a powerful technique, but it was eerily perfect for the kind of fighter Naruto was.

Sasuke kept his focus on the compound to distract himself from dwelling on Naruto. Watching Naruto made Sasuke uncomfortable. He wasn't immune to the aura the boy put out, no matter how he acted. After what had happened on the bridge Sasuke was forced to admit to himself how shaken he'd been. That overwhelming feeling of being small. Bite sized even, of being alive only because the predator was focused elsewhere. His teeth had been chattering all throughout. He knew it had to have been Naruto.

That boy had a secret, some kind of technique. In the academy he'd been an idiot, the only thing he was any good at was hiding. It was a frightening feeling to have so badly underestimated the guy. A brief flash back to their free for all spar on the way to Wave brought a deeper scowl to his face. He was a more wiley fighter than he'd been given credit for. His skill in a straight fight was poor, but he fought dirty like nobody's business.

It was something Sasuke could learn from him, a ruthlessness. However that didn't explain the bridge. Something had happened there, something that had nearly killed the ninja that had nearly been the death of all three of them if they'd been allowed to continue. That overwhelming presence.

He took a moment to look at Sakura, the only genin he'd ever heard of who could use Genjutsu with any kind of skill. It couldn't have been an illusion. So what was that feeling. He thought about cornering Naruto later and asking. That seemed like a good way to lose something important. Like the fragile teamwork they'd had going in to this raid.

Sasuke took a deep breath. The waiting was hard. He knew it would be but it was so much worse now that he had to do it. It was shocking to see how effective they were against a people that should probably have outright killed them. Sasuke was coming to understand why the academy pushed teamwork and team drills so hard.

He was also seeing what the Academy style was good for. It complimented itself. Three people all using it would fight well together, at least well enough to not immediately be bisected by a freak with a sword as tall as he was and thicker. Even the memory caused Sasuke's heart rate to pick up.

This wasn't against Zabuza though. This was against thugs with swords and armor. Mostly lacquered armor looked like. Good when you know you're being attacked and can defend its weak points. Bad against surprise. Which hopefully they could keep until they needed to. Sasuke didn't fancy his chances in a stand up fight with two or more people with weapons longer than his. That would get dicey very fast. The best answer was be out before a defense could scramble to you. And if you had to… Go for the neck.

* * *

The warehouses were stacked high with goods in transition, some furniture, crates full of linens and silks, spices, dried foods. Each warehouse was a cacophony of smells. This Naruto was in one of the warehouses poking around, They'd all decided together to search the warehouses first. If the kid was in the warehouses, it was starting to look like he was in a crate. So that seemed either unlikely, or that the kid was already dead. The two of him were going to meet up and start in on Gato's Mansion next. Sadly the man was smarter than to leave low hanging fruit laying around. Well, beside the actual fruit. That was mostly dried though so not as appetizing.

Creeping through the compound gave Naruto an illicit thrill. It was far better than sneaking around in the village because there he felt for many of his fellow citizens. He had always tried to keep his mischief to the deserving. It was so important to not have fuzzy aim, especially when playing with permanent pigments.

Here though, he'd already tied some shoelaces on a sleeping guard and stolen a dagger left just out of reach. His pockets were full of small pilfered goods and he didn't even feel the tickle of his fairly well developed conscience. Afterall. This was Gato, a man who hired assassins to kill a man trying to make people's lives better. A man threatening to murder kids and starving families for his own gain.

He'd seen how little food there was in Tazuna's town. To see these warehouses, to smell these warehouses. There was enough food for five winters in that village, to feed an army, just here. Naruto knew he wasn't the most book smart, but he would bet his shoes this was not Gato's only storehouse. No, The man was rotten, and those who took his coin to keep others down were just as guilty in Naruto's estimation.

Slipping into Gato's mansion was easy enough once they'd gotten up to the second floor by way of a nimble chakra dampened hop. The sound of maybe a pebble landing, it barely even drew attention. A few moments of silent waiting were all it took for the properly alert sentry to decide it had been his imagination and move on. Afterall, the night was quiet and the mist hung in the air.

Naruto doubted anything terribly bad has ever happened to this place, maybe a disgruntled employee at the worst. Looking in windows and slipping through shadows Naruto got a feel for the layout of the second floor, his real body described it in quiet words to his team. Each room was full of paintings and draperies. Art and finery with wide beds and what looked to be servant's corridors. Eventually he found a window that was open just a bit and managed to slip himselves inside.

Now the real tricky part began. He slipped into the first and up to the third floor, he already suspected he knew what he would find. But working around the first floor he found meeting rooms, a dining room that could seat twenty, a closet for coats, sitting room with a large hearth, items of gold and silver, gemstones studding vases and fresh flowers. The third floor was more spartan, not by much, but clearly servant's quarters and storage in the highest parts of the manse. He found rolls of rugs, bundles of spare linens, cleaning supplies he was well familiar with.

The thing that bothered him was the lack of service staff. He would have expected to have found at least one. But he'd only found evidence they'd been around recently. As little as two hours he'd guess.

The third floor was a bust eventually and he started working down when the first floor naruto found something he'd expected, a way down lower. Heavy doors concealed behind a drapery. They weren't as nice and weren't concealed so much as covered. He was starting to get worried Gato wasn't here at all after looking around so much he reached into his pocket and carefully oiled the hinges of the heavy doors, no use outing himself on something he could avoid. The door opened outward awkwardly forcing him to hold the drapery out of the way as he slid in and let the drape fall back into place.

* * *

"There's a Basement." Naruto said and a shiver shot up Sakura's spine. All kinds of horrid images and ideas prickled up her brain at the mere mention. And as Naruto described the location her feeling of unease only rose. The anticipation was killing her, she could feel her breathing growing shallower as she just stared at nothing happening in the complex. Sure that any moment the alarm would sound and something would happen. She looked over to see Kakashi reading his book, in near total darkness. She was at once furious of his lack of caring, and deeply envious of his calm. Her blood was boiling, but she sat still and waited, like a good girl ought, like a good ninja ought.

"I've found him." Naruto said in a whisper but two heads snapped to him as the subtlest glimpse of teeth spoke of Naruto's smile in the dark.

"He's tied to a chair in the basement. There's a dungeon down there. Five cells. People in four, not going to stick my head in more, this is already super dangerous... " Naruto said and shivered a little.

"Just dispelled the clone. The other one is still looking through the interior of the second floor. Gato's bedroom is quiet but didn't stick my head in only one door, no window. I did find at least one servant, third floor, asleep in a bed." he said as he frowned.

"There's space for like, three servants… where are they all…" he asked.

"Does it really matter?" Sasuke asked softly and Naruto's frown deepened, but he shrugged.

"Maybe they got to go home today? This isn't too far from the village." Sakura says de sotto.

Kakashi makes a small noise that draws three pairs of eyes.

"Sensei?" Sasuke asks expectantly. Kakashi turns the page with deliberate slowness. Just as Naruto is about to talk Kakashi speaks up.

"Wasting a lot of time aren't you all?" he says casually and all three of them bristle a little bit.

"Anything useful to contribute?" Sasuke asks and Kakashi shrugs.

"Nah, probably not." he says with a giggle.

"Alright, if we understand Naruto's directions we want one person to go down and get the kid and two to stand watch. Hopefully they never notice." Sasuke says and Sakura nods.

"Who should go down?" she asks quietly and Naruto points a thumb at himself.

"I'll be the hero!" he declares in a whisper that leads to both the others letting out a sigh while Naruto giggles.

"Fine. let's move." Sasuke says.

* * *

Together they slip into the compound, Sakura taking cue from Naruto while Sasuke made his own way in. It was somewhat slow going and the moon had risen before they met up again on the first floor on the inside, Sasuke scaling up into the rafters of the main hall overlooking the way down, Sakura transforming into a standing vase parallel to one in the hall in an empty alcove where something probably had once stood but was now empty.

Naruto produced a clone that leapt up into the rafters not too far from Sasuke before slipping again into the basement. He descended slowly, straining his ears for trouble.

He reached the bottom of the stairs and walked past the long wooden table all the way to the far end of the room where Inari's chin rested on his chest and he dozed fitfully leaning into the ropes that held his chest to the back of the chair and his arms to the rests. Naruto contemplated a moment before placing a hand over Inari's mouth which instantly woke the boy who started to struggle before he even realized what was going on.

The soft gasp and the ceasing of his struggles was enough to bring a large grin to Naruto's mouth showing off a great many teeth.

"Hi, brat, ready to go home?" he asks softly pulling out a knife and working at the ropes as he feels around the chair for any surprises.

"You came!" the child squeaked keeping his voice low just like Naruto's though his voice was thick with emotion.

"Yep. Your grandpa and mom are safe… probably." he said as the kid's eyes welled with tears that started to fall at a furious pace as he started to hyperventilate.

"I-I th-thought I was G-gonna dy-hi-hi-hi….." the child keened softly Naruto could feel the kid shiver.

"Not yet, well maybe. It could still happen." Naruto said with a much darker smile. "We could all die. That's part of the fun!" he said and as soon as the ropes were cut he picked up the kid who kicked a little.

"Nah-uh, no way are you walking, that'd take way too long." Naruto says and then stiffens like a board.

* * *

The scream echoed through the house and a roar of footsteps came at the house, pounding up the steps and slamming open the main doors, down the stairs came the last servant face bright red and crying openly.

"He's Dead! Someone murdered them! Oh god!~" the servant screamed running for the door only to be grabbed by a guard.

"Who!?" he shouted, making the young woman flinch.

"G-gato! In his bed, w-with~!" she stammered.

"What!?" the guard shouted, throwing her aside to the ground as he ran toward the stairs with two others as somewhere nearby the call was taken up, that Gato was dead, the alarm started not a minute later.

"Shit." is all Sasuke could think to say.

* * *

It was not long before someone headed to the basement. Sakura slipped forward as Sasuke's eyes widened and Sakura flashed through a few hand signs, only for the guard on the third step to start dully walking in place, his tense body loosening as the sounds of furtive movement from below began as Sakura motioned up toward the rafters.

Sasuke looked toward the back stairwell where they'd come in and started scouting an escape toward the outer wall along the path he'd planned. This had just gotten very complicated. It was one thing to sneak around while everyone was just going about their business. A whole different can of worms to do the same when the enemy knew you were there.

Naruto appeared from the basement at a run with Inari slung up, carried in both arms at his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, the kid looked petrified. Sakura took up the rear as they ran, suddenly less concerned with absolute stealth. They were still quiet, but it is impossible to completely hide running footfalls. Still with attention focused elsewhere in the manor they had a few minutes at the most before the search would really begin. There was already shouting outside as people tried to work out what had happened, but that was mostly circular still.

Sasuke tried to listen as they moved. Keeping track of the chaos slowly bubbling as they went. Coming out onto the roof through the window they'd taken getting in Naruto was the first to put all he had into his legs taking a few fairly loud steps before flying out into open space, landing more than halfway across the yard, Sakura made the jump second and Sasuke third.

Both Naruto's arms were taken up so the charging man with the spear taking two long steps out of cover was difficult to dodge, anyone who tells you it's hard to hit a moving target has never tried to hit someone running. It's easy, it's very hard to change direction quickly while moving top speed, especially carrying someone else.

So Naruto did the only thing he could, he pivoted, putting the yari spear's blade across his back and ribs leaving a long, red line in his back and parting his clothes with a gasp. Sakura slid next to Naruto grabbing just behind the head of the spear as it started to pull back and giving it a sharp tug. Glueing her feet to the yard with chakra and putting a burst of energy to her muscles she managed to overbalance the man's disciplined thrust.

Sasuke's approach was sudden, like lightning, yet smooth as wind. Sakura barely had time to realize what had happened before Saskue slid past the man, spinning as he skidded and the tip of the Kunai flickered out up to the man's face. The man dropped his Yari, so did Sakura and they were already moving again.

The three of them leapt over the wall in a bound, heading into the darkness leaving the chaos of the compound behind them quickly as Kakashi fell in next to them without a word.

Inari let out a low cry in shock, and Naruto jostled him for quiet which the boy quickly caught on to. Sakura's eyes were wide as they could be as they sprinted into the dark quickly heading up into the low trees of the woods beside the river heading for the village.

"S-Sasuke!" Sakura said and the boy let out a grunt.

"Later, Sakura… Later." Sasuke's voice, even through the running sounded tired. He still gripped the kunai in one hand, white knuckled. Sasuke wasn't sure when the mist had gotten so frigid, teeth chattered against the cool that settled all the way down past the flashing images. The shock on the mercenary guard's face as his neck slowly turned as red as the Sharingan that slowly twirled in his eyes, engraving the look on his memory. The resignation in the man's eyes, the disbelief.

* * *

_A/N: Action, Drama, Comma Abuse, it's the whole package. One more chapter of Wave, Epilogue and a distinct lack of true closure. Trauma for everybody, wee._

_Zabzab: The confusion is my fault, that chapter was probably rushed and should at some point be revisited, I do not have a beta reader and when I get impatient to get something out I can easily overlook my mistakes. I hope this chapter is better in that regard. That said, you're right in your prediction, I'm glad you were paying attention so closely. I hope you enjoy the ride._

_Vyxaipfais Yyrahyd: thank you for the praise, I do not know if I am deserving of it, but to put a fine point on it: The Ninetails is a Monster. It is Old, and Powerful, and this is where I strongly part with the original series, it should be Inhuman. the Bijuu were just very powerful humans in personality in Naruto. I disagree with this. You will see more of them, and I hope they continue to be as unsettling as the first sighting._

_Thank you to everyone who took the time to read, I would beg you to take a moment and leave a review or a comment. I respond to DMs as well. I am a growing author and the best way for me to grow is criticism. Whether you do or not, thank you for your time._


	12. Perchance to Dream

A/N: two weeks, two chapters, I'm on a roll.

* * *

The Darkness of the rushing leaves demanded attention as they moved at all speed away from the disruption. Inari's soft sniffling was the only sound from the group. Naruto was front and center, with Inari held close, the boy almost as large as Naruto himself but the boy carried him without complaint as they moved through the branches. Sakura and Sasuke flanked him and Kakashi brought up the rear, quieter than his students.

They pushed until near the edge of the village before dropping back to the ground. Naruto immediately went to set Inari down but the boy grabbed him in a fierce hug.

"Thank you!" the boy gasped squeezing as tight as he could while Naruto awkwardly patted the boy on the back. He gave both Sakura and Sasuke the stink eye as they chuckled at his situation.

"I… uh… you're welcome?" though Naruto couldn't keep the lop-sided smile from his face which only made Sakura laugh harder for all she fought to keep is toundless. Sasuke's smile was more knowing, he gave Naruto a nod.

"So cute." Kakashi said quietly his nose back in his book despite the near complete darkness. Both Inari and Naruto turned to give Kakashi a baleful look. All it managed was to draw a snort from Sasuke which finally pushed Sakura over and she dissolved into a peal of laughter.

"Come on, let's go home, yeah?" Naruto announced loudly enough to push everybody to walk into the village. The doors and houses dark, though nearer to Tazuna's home there were numerous little fires, camps set out, people resting in chairs, lengths of wood and various tools close at hand. The watchful, dour aura of the group started to break into whispers.

"They're Back! They have him!" someone yelled and some people started to cheer as a wave of alert went back toward the house of the bridgebuilder.

It was something different entirely to walk through this town. All the sour expressions and furtive glances had been traded for something like welcome. The change was so abrupt that it was jarring. However the atmosphere was warming. The cold that had dogged them all along this ramshackle stretch of river broke for a moment, with the warm of campfires and people coming up to pat them on the shoulders and congratulate them for the return of one of their own, questions about Gato.

Before they were even halfway through the crowd Tsunami burst through the villagers, sprinting up to drop to her knees and grab Inari. Wrapping her arms around him and pulling him into a tight hug her eyes wet with tears already.

"Mom, I'm okay." he said returning her hug with all the same energy and he found himself just as overcome, crying hard into his mother's shoulder.

Her words were muffled her face buried in his hair. Some space was given to the mother whose child had been returned. But a cheer went up nonetheless. The only one seemingly unaffected by the atmosphere was Kakashi who stalked like a ghost behind his students.

At some point he'd put away the book, but he still had an unapproachable air that held people back even as Sasuke accepted a few handshakes and shoulder pats. Sakura was appreciated similarly, Naruto held a share of the thanks but seemed to dodge the pats and back slaps that Sasuke and Sakura endured, his bombastic movements made it seem accidental.

Sasuke was suspicious though. Sakura doubly so, she'd been watching Naruto and could see the buzzing anxiety beneath the outward joy. Actually leaping with the cheers was a good way to participate without letting anyone lay a hand on him. Rather the opposite, Sakura thought of Sasuke, who disliked being touched but decided to not react to it as much as possible as a discouragement. It was an odd dance, but Naruto very much did seem to be enjoying the positive attention. Sasuke and Sakura shared a glance and let it go. Kakashi seemed distantly pleased with a small, but visible, smile lingering just behind his students.

The festivities picked up and the three genin found themselves dragged in as the stops were pulled and a feast was put together with the news from Gato's compound shared by the three. Though none of them had seen the body. There was a weight that had been lifted, at least some of the way. The feast itself was mostly fish and cooked vegetables, but it was what was to be had, bread was on the menu and alcohol. Sasuke accepted a small cup of wine, and urged his two teammates to accept as well. Even Inari got in on it as the party slowly migrated to Tazuna's home where the old man himself raised a mug of beer and lead a toast to deliverance of their little town. Sasuke made a face when he drank, Naruto's face wrinkled into something indescribable at the taste and Sakura flinched at the flavor.

Naruto leapt up to the roof of the house, and did a standing flip to cheers.

UUUUU

The night passed in something of a blur, it was not the first long night for any of them, and they were all tired enough to fall into a fitful sleep as soon as they could. Waking with the sun the next day to trading apologies with Tsunami who slept in, Inari came down at all the ruckus as the ensuing incredibly polite argument over who was making breakfast for whom. Tsunami and Inari ended up cooking for them past the protests that breakfast had already been started.

It was even later when Tazuna made his grumpy way downstairs. There was a solemness about him, and a determination. He did however offer them a bright smile as he came downstairs before it faded into a hung over frown through his breakfast. That however was the last mirth of the day.

The first order of business was burying the dead. It was an event that took most of the day. It was a miserable day for working regardless. The winds were strong and had the sharp burden of rain holding over them all day. A promise that it refused to deliver on, leading to a heavy, pregnant warmth to the air that was suffocating.

The day after was much the same, by weather, but slowly work on the bridge was resuming. Tentative, as though waiting for thugs to show up or people to make trouble. The next day was smoother, and eventually a few less professional workers were brought in to help. This did not fill the hole left by the lost men, but pushed up their pace a fair amount.

Work progressed. They resumed their duties as bodyguards more or less as they had, with Sasuke preferring a more visible role, Sakura lurking and watching near Tazuna himself, and Naruto unseen but doubtlessly present. He always seemed to have something to add to the end of the day reports when little else could be said, even when all he added was a few extra small fish to the end of the day.

Each day the stockpile of materials shrank and work got a little more frantic. The energy of the nearing completion driving them on to work just a little longer, a little faster. It was a miracle that nobody was seriously injured though Sakura had to leap out to catch a man who was rushing out a bucket of nails and nearly tumbled into the swift flowing waters.

Kakashi's staunch disinterest in the mission didn't help and the genin tried to ignore him as best they could. Even though it was mind numbing work. All three of them entertained theories in their spare moments. Of what had killed Gato, Sasuke had bet it was assassination by a rival. Sakura had said it was a jilted lover. Naruto had insisted Mist ninja were to blame. However, no matter how hard they tried, the couldn't get Kakashi to speculate. He merely ignored them and read his book, pulling it all the way up into his face to where it would be headache inducing to actually read.

They had eventually stopped. Naruto had even suggested running back there the first night, but Kakashi had forbidden it. Stating that either he would come to them and endanger their mission again, or it wasn't their problem, even if he wasn't dead. As Sasuke had taken up speculating on the second day.

All three of the genin agreed on one thing, guard duty was miserable boring. They all wouldn't mention it for fear of touching off something with the others but all three of them badly wanted some kind of action. However, it seemed that the trouble had passed and the work was progressing smoothly. Sakura's moments she could spare were watching people work, observing the technique and artisanship put into the bridge to make it not only sturdy and lasting, but aesthetically pleasing. Not an aspect to be discounted if one were going to have to look at the massive thing every day.

Still the work dragged on, for nine days, well past the expected time for the mission. Nine whole boring days of watching people put a bridge together, helping Tazuna get to and from the worksite every morning on his broken leg, popping up to assist him in keeping things running smoothly. And nine nights of restlessness and random gasping awakenings by all three of the Genin who would shamefully try to fall back asleep and a long game of pretend by all three of them that they hadn't been woken up at all. By day seven they were actively assisting moving information around and were on a named basis with all the primarily laborers.

That ninth day, the entire town turned out to the bridge around noon when the mist broke as Tazuna sat in a chair on a small platform and gave a short, though impassioned speech about what the bridge meant for their town, and their nation. It was touching, it was heartfelt, but mostly it was a signal to the four leaf ninja their job here was coming to an end.

The speech was wrapping up. "So, I declare this bridge open, and ready. Though every good bridge needs a name, so I think we'll name it after our guests from Fire, calling it the Great Fire Bridge feels like it would be bad luck, but why not the Great Willow Bridge!? The forests of Fire, with the rivers of Wave?" he asks and there's a smattering of cheers and some nods of agreement though a general air of ambivalence. This doesn't seem to dampen Tazuna's spirits regardless as he pulls down the rough cloth that had been covering the carved nameplate for the bridge.

"That's actually really sweet." Sakura says deliberately quiet enough to keep it to her team's ears. Sasuke grunts neutrally. Naruto considers a moment then sighs,

"Man, he coulda called it the Great Naruto Bridge, would have had such a ring to it!" the boy says throwing up his hands envisioning the title. Sasuke rolls his eyes while Sakura shakes her head. Kakashi though chuckles and pats the young whisker-marked genin on the head, ruffling his hair.

"Maybe when you're actually the hero you can get something named after you, huh?" Kakashi comments drawing a furious bout of swatting at the air Kakashi had been occupying by Naruto.

"Mission complete." Sasuke declares by way of ending the tomfoolery.

UUUU

After that the foursome began the trip back toward Konoha. Each kept to themselves for the first few hours. Swift movement and great events absorbed their time, after that, simple inertia kept them quiet. They made it back to the border with Fire country inside the first four hours, moving fast and high. It gave a good excuse to not talk, but Kakashi shot ahead of them and stopped in a clearing. Sadly much as the genin would have loved to leave their sensei behind, it was not only against the rules, but just generally bad form to have Kakashi behind you when he was upset about something, and leaving him behind would definitely upset him. So they all landed near Kakashi who stood with hands in pockets a few moments looking up at the clear skies above the trees.

After a few seconds Naruto looked up into the endless blue as well, took a deep breath and let it out loudly. Sakura gave in to look up next. Until only Sasuke stubbornly looked down at the grass. After about a minute Kakashi spoke up without looking away from the sky.

"Sensei always said the sky looked different in Fire country. He traveled to every elemental nation, I accompanied him to many, and whenever we crossed the border to home, he would find a clearing and just look up at the sky, day or night…" he said.

"It's been more than ten years, but I finally started to understand." Kakashi finished, and the silence in the clearing hung with only the distant calls of birds and the buzzing of cicadas.

Sasuke slowly felt his eyes drawn up, he looked into the blue, the pale color without a single cloud, the sun, past its zenith, lingering near the shifting sea of crown-shy trees.

For a moment, the nightmare of the previous nights faded in the Uchiha's mind and he felt a kind of peace. The racing mind of the young Haruno quieted from a roar to a murmur as she took in the clean beauty of the sky. And for the last Uzumaki in fire nation, he looked up and felt a kinship with a man he'd never met.

UUUU

They moved slower after that. Their mission had gone long, there was no terrible hurry to return to Konoha, though Sasuke's impatience kept them moving. There had been no real impetus for the others, but Sasuke insisted regardless. Sakura and eventually Naruto supported once Sakura had thrown the blonde a loaded glance. Just after midnight, the four of them pushed into Konoha proper, stepping through the gates past the watchful and invisible eyes of the guardians of the city walls. Sakura was soaked in sweat, Sasuke's shirt was sticking fabulously to his chest. Naruto was even winded.

"We report to the Hokage at noon tomorrow. Get some sleep kids." Kakashi says with a kind of tired distance as he walked into the city, not even keeping up speed to head home. Naruto takes a big breath of air and looks at the other two.

"I… I guess I'll see you guys tomorrow." Sakura says slowly as Sasuke and Naruto look back over to her. Sasuke gives Naruto a firm nod and then leaps off spending what little chakra he has to spare to take him to his bed that much sooner, sparing a nod of farewell for her as well. Sakura pauses looking into the darkened streets of the village hidden in the leaves. She walks only slowly. It takes her a long moment to notice that Naruto, rather than running off home himself is walking with her, silently carrying his pack over one shoulder.

It's a long walk from the gates past old-town to the small home in a thicket Sakura lives in. Once she might have been concerned about Naruto following her home, but a guilty part of herself considers it fair enough. After all she'd already admitted to following him. Eventually she stopped outside the darkened house, she glanced around the side at the small workshop behind the house and sighed. Her parents weren't home. She opened the gate and closed it behind herself as she looked up at the house, trudging up the steps. From out in the street Naruto waits quietly, still like a statue as she fishes the key out of her pack and opens the house before letting herself through the door and waving back to Naruto, who offers a small wave and a smile himself before turning and slipping into the night.

She walked through the empty halls of her home. Her mind quiet and blank with tiredness, a kind of tingling numbness creeping up her spine and into the back of her brain making her skin feel like it was crawling. She sets down her pack in her room, strips off her clothes and takes a long hot shower, though it can't banish the crawling sensation that dogs her. She slips into her bed and slips into unconsciousness, her dreams shrouded in mist and frost.

* * *

Sasuke made with full haste to the Orphanage, he knew in his mind that nobody would expect him to return now, but it was still something of a let down to return and find the lights out and the main door locked for the night.

He fished out his key and slipped in, re-locking the door behind him before he headed upstairs and paced out the building in the dark, avoiding the squeaky floorboards with the kind of practice only one who has lived in a place for years can do. He made his way not to his own room but to another, poking his head into the room and stalking quietly between two beds, he knelt down beside two little girls sleeping peacefully in their dorm.

Looking down at them his throat seized up, his heart hammering in his throat as the mission washed back over him. It was easy to hold it all in while they were on the mission. He had a duty to fulfill. It held him together with a great strength, but now, standing beside the reason for his resilience he felt his cheeks get hot with tears that streamed down his face.

He buried his face in the crook of his arm, falling to one knee and stifling his tears as best he could. Standing over his cousins for many long moments through the suppression he managed to gasp out, in a breathless whisper.

"I made it." it was all he could say before he had to retreat. He headed to his own room, dropping his pack like it were an anchor and letting out a raw sob as he mechanically stripped off his clothes to go clean himself, despite the late hour.

The hot shame of his loss of composure doing nothing to stop the flood as he stood for long minutes, his hands braced on the cold tile of the communal bathroom sobbing into the spraying water of the shower. He slipped into his bed and was out like a light, though he slept to a moment, a shocked gasp, a line of crimson, a pounding heart, in perfect clarity, a loop as endless as the dance of tomo along sharingan eyes.

* * *

Naruto walked home in the darkness. Already the mission felt like a dream, it was just another muggy konoha night, it could have been any night if not for the pack on his back. And the crawling sensation between his shoulder blades. The quiet seeped into his bones and he found himself walking a circuitous path.

Somehow at once surprised and reassured that everything was as it had been. He wandered until the tiredness of the day finally caught up with him and he found himself inside his home. The faint smell of musty air from his time away filled his nose and he walked to his made bed, once freshly laundered sheets laying expectantly as he pulled back the corner. As an afterthought he took a bath in his tiny closet of a bathroom.

He headed to lay down and decided to pull of his shirt and stand in front of his full length mirror, he formed his hands into a seal and channeled chakra until the ink around his navel washed into relief on his skin and he stared unthinking at the seal, the twisting sign that pointed in toward his hara, like a river flowing in reverse, pulling from a dark place buried deep inside himself. He released the seal and let the chakra reabsorb into his body then went to bed.

He slept soundly, silently, dreaming of a quiet swamp and an empty sky.

* * *

It was nearly noon when three people made their way into the square in front of the hokage's tower. Sakura looked thoughtful, carrying a piece of toast half eaten in one hand as she chewed thoughtfully. Naruto had occupied a bench sitting on the back of it with his feet on the seat while his head swiveled around before catching sight of Sasuke. Naruto was first to notice, his face pulling into a frown.

"Hey, Hey, didn't Kakashi-sensei specifically tell you to get some sleep?" Naruto asked loudly. Sasuke growled and made a non-verbal huffing noise rather than respond, but it drew Sakura's eyes. Where naruto's had narrowed, Sakura's widened. Sasuke was a pale boy. He always had been, it was part of his handsomeness. But he looked more strung out than merely pale, the dark circles under his somewhat bloodshot eyes lent him a sickly cast.

"Sasuke, are you alright?" she asked quietly, walking up near to him. His face screwed up in a scowl and he looked like he was about to say something but glanced over her shoulder and sighed.

"I didn't sleep well. Not from lack of trying, idiot!" he sniped at naruto who resolutely refused to rise to the bait and just shifted a foot to tap the bench with his toe.

"Take a load off, sleepy." he said with a smirk. Sasuke glared at him fiercely but ultimately slumped into the seat all the same. Sakura sat down on the ground, splaying her legs out and leaning onto the bench with one arm letting her stretch out more.

"...I had trouble sleeping too." Sakura admitted after a few long minutes, Sasuke just grunted softly by way of acknowledgement.

They passed the time watching the bustle of the space around the Hokage's tower. It was a place of muted energy and efficiency. Civilians and ninja alike moving through. It seemed like Kakashi was determined to be late, so there was nothing left to do but wait for him. They sat in companionable silence, watching the world go by each with their own energy.

Eventually all three heads gravitated to a shock of silver hair moseying through the crowd some time later. They don't bother standing up as he approaches and he comes to stop in front of them hands behind his back, slouched, eye half-lidded.

"Well, let's go finish our mission for real then." Kakashi says, turning to head to the tower without preamble. The three stand up and fall in behind him without hurry.

* * *

"That is our report." Kakashi says smartly, standing at attention behind his three genin who look serious for their part. Sarutobi puffs at his pipe that he lit around the time Momochi Zabuza was mentioned.

"I see. So Tazuna knew he was being targeted all along. Interesting. Do you have any confirmation that Gato is dead?" The Hokage asks, leaning back in his chair thoughtfully.

"N~" Sasuke starts but Kakashi interrupts.

"I investigated and can confirm he is dead." This news draws the attention of all three genin who twist to look back at him with confused or shocked expressions as his one eye roves over them quickly.

"I'll spare you the details, but he's dead." Kakashi reiterates and Sarutobi nods slowly.

"I understand, thank you Kakashi. The Great Willow Bridge, hm? A bit melodramatic." he comments with a chuckle.

"All four of you are to report to the hospital for a checkup, but first." The old man says pulling out a folder and placing it on the table then pulling up a notebook and writing in a neat, precise script. "Present this to the quartermaster. There is no body to confirm the death of Zabuza Momochi, but I will be upgrading the mission to A rank ex post facto for the involvement of the Demon of the Hidden Mist Your tale validates my confidence in you, you have done well. Dismissed." the hokage says flicking the paper toward Kakashi who catches it deftly and waves with it as he walks out the door followed by the three genin.

"Sakura, Naruto, go ahead to the hospital I'll sort out your pay and have it in your letterboxes. Sasuke, come with me." and just like that, tension. The other two nodded with misgiving but walked on as Kakashi and Sasuke were left standing just outside the Hokage's tower.

"Walk with me." the older ninja said casually taking a turn toward a thicket near the tower, a garden in some ways, planted by the second hokage. A place of thick twisting vegetation and many small clearings, where people could talk, surrounded by nature, with little risk of being overheard easily. Picking an out of the way place beneath a thick oak tree kakashi sat down. Sasuke awkwardly stood by the man. He fidgeted and huffed quietly.

"You killed someone." Kakashi said without preamble.

"Yes." Sasuke answered tersely.

"You did it with the Sharingan active." Kakashi elaborated.

"Yes!" Sasuke hissed, "it was Nec~"

"I agree." Kakashi cut him off. "One of your teammates could have died if you had not ended the threat decisively."

Sasuke nodded sharply, then let out a great shuddering breath.

"Does it get easier?" he asks then swallows and asks in a much smaller voice. "Do the faces ever fade?"

Kakashi reaches down to the ground and plucks a tiny wild flower from the ground, then offers it to Sasuke. The boy takes it and stares at the flower intensely as though searching for a message.

"I was ANBU commander." Kakashi says drawing Sasuke's attention.

"I did that job for almost ten years. There are few people who can say that, most quit after two or three." He answers.

"Okay." Sasuke says twirling the flower in his fingers.

"Do you know why I hung up that mask?" kakashi asked Sasuke staring him in the eye.

Sasuke's heart pounded, it was hard not to when someone like Hatake Kakashi gave you his full attention.

"No." he finally answered.

"Twelve hundred twenty two. If you give me a paper, I can draw nearly every one of their faces." he says seriously. He reached up and pulled his Hitai-ite out of the way, the sharingan in his eye spinning lazily as it bored into Sasuke's jet black eyes.

"Yes, it gets easier. No, they never fade." He says solemnly.

* * *

A/N: another Chapter, Aftermath, cleanup. now we hit a period, I have a little I want to do before we head toward Chunin Exams, so I'll be twisting the timeline some more. things are different now, someone had blood on their hands. funny how you're never as ready as you think you are. To all of those who have read to this point, thank you for enjoying my story. It's hard to explain how gratifying it is to look at story stats for something you've worked hard on and to know that other people care about it too. when people care enough to tell me how they feel it makes my whole day. Apropos of that...

to the anonymous individual who reviewed: I'm glad you liked the chapter, please continue to enjoy.

To Phoenixx Rising: It makes me very happy to hear that, and I thank you for saying so.

To Zabzab: I find it really weird that so many people threaten Inari, or Tsunami but they never actually succeed. It may interest you to know in an earlier draft of the chapter it was Tsunami who was captured, and she died in that basement. I thought this read a little better. That older version felt gratuitous and unearned, and i realized I'd never actually put Inari anywhere in the preceding chapter and that mostly wrote itself. Sometimes mistakes breed better writing in a roundabout way. Thank you for your continued support and criticism, I hope you find this chapter readable. I'm not sure what Majuscule you're talking about to be honest, but I'm glad you like it.


	13. Connectivity

A/N: Not entirely happy with it, but it is a bridge to the next chapter, and the beginning of the Chuunin Exam Arc proper. I aim to do something a little different than many i have read.

as to the lateness of this chapter compared to others before it, my job keeps me very busy right now so I have little time or energy to write during the busy seasons.

The editing on this chapter is doubtlessly more shoddy than the ones that came immediately before it. I've definitely fallen out of the groove. I hope it's not too bad, I've read it three times to try to get it better before i'm pushing it out the door but I'm sure I missed something.

* * *

The crass sounds of laughter, the music of a man too deep in his cups to hit each note crisply. It was a familiar atmosphere. There is something comforting in familiarity. Which is about the only kind of comfort Kakashi indulged in too much. He had ordered a bottle of sake, but mostly just looked at it. He'd had a saucer but that was all, it just sat in gently steaming water, wasting away. He sighed deeply spinning the bottle idly. The bartender knew better than to bother him. He'd made enough of a pattern of this kind of thing over the last 10 years at every bar in Konoha that would have him.

He thought about his students. Each of them so precariously broken in their own way. Screaming out for help into an uncaring void. He could hear them, though it were as through a thick drapery. Just an echo. He knew how to read their emotional states, he knew how people thought and acted. He was an infiltrator, a wet-worker, a spy. He knew how to be unseen, how to be unheard, how to be unnoticed and dismissed.

None of these skills helped Naruto, the scorned hero. He had been there, he had known what happened. But the Hokage's law and his own crushing feelings of inadequacy had kept him from more than the most passing involvement in the life of his greatest teacher's son. He poured another saucer, the first in an hour. Then stared at the warm liquid listlessly.

They also did not help the diamond hiding her shine. Sakura was an unqualified genius. That child had a gift for putting information together that would see her the head of ANBU or T&I if she wanted it. Her skill in Genjutsu was prodigious.. He wished he had more to teach her in that respect. He was watching her with great interest, seeing what they would make for themselves. However, she was so wrapped up in herself, so afraid of ridicule and abandonment that she'd hidden away.

As far as he knew she had at best two friends in the world. He'd taken a look over at Ino, especially when Asuma had taken her as part of his team. She had all the confidence that Sakura lacked, her skill in basic ninja skills was reasonable, she had a wide spread of abilities and knowledge. However it was as shallow as it was wide, it made her look smart, look capable at first glance, but as he'd heard Asuma complain she lacked the drive to really dig into any field too deeply.

All over a boy, a boy that didn't care a lick for either of them. Sasuke. Kakashi put his elbows on the table and put his head in his hands. That boy was a wreck. He was anxious constantly, he managed to keep it well enough under wraps, but he was burying himself in work and training to avoid his problem. Kakashi had spoken with the Uchiha scion at length today, it was why he was here. Sasuke cared so much for his younger cousins, Kakashi almost wanted to petition the Hokage for a restraining order if just to get him to put the energy somewhere else. Everything he did he was orbiting around them, their safety, their future. It was borderline mania.

He finally pulled down his mask and took the second drink of the burning warm spirit. He shivered at the flavor as it rolled down his throat, something shocking. To pull him out of his haze.

He nearly jumped out of his skin when the hand landed on his shoulder. The list of people who could, or would walk up to Sharingan Kakashi and dare lay a hand on him was very short. And only one person would lay the hand first and speak at an unreasonable volume second.

"Kakashi! I heard you had returned and wished to congratulate you on your success!" the booming voice of the world's foremost expert on bowl cuts, dental hygiene, and taijutsu smiled down through the smokey haze of the room. Kakashi visibly sighed, his head canting to the side.

"Thanks, Guy. now if you~" he started making an excuse as the man slid a stool over with one foot without trouble and sat down wrapping an arm across Kakashi's shoulders.

"I see you have already gotten a drink, I have not yet indulged tonight, but it seems the perfect time to celebrate!" the man said, waving a hand vigorously to grab the attention of literally the entire bar to one extent or another before demanding a beer at a politeness and volume that are typically considered unacceptable in their excess.

Still his beer arrived swiftly and he raised it with one hand while awkwardly pouring another saucer for Kakashi out of his own sake without his permission or desire. However Might Guy had one thing in spades. He had heart, past the thunderous power of his muscles, past the inestimable skill and experience the man possessed, past all the bravado. Might Guy was a good man.

Within ten minutes he had downed half his beer and drawn Kakashi into the kind of easy chatter only old war buddies can truly share. Weaving with the deftness of a true diplomat around the sore and bleeding wounds that dotted their collective past and drawing even a few laughs from the, normally, fairly taciturn Kakashi.

"Truly Kakashi you are the greatest of teachers, would that I could capture your emboulient charms in a bottle!" Guy declared patting Kakashi on the shoulder as they stumbled out of the bar, both acting more drunk than either really were. The pattern though, was familiar, comforting in a way. Back when they had been getting as drunk as they pretended. When they had both been younger, when the scars were less faded.

Still Guy persisted in singing, and Kakashi dumped him onto the ground where the man landed in a dramatic slump and changed songs, drawing a rusty but genuine chuckle from the scarecrow.

"Ah my friend it is good to hear you laugh. I am happy to have had a hand in making it happen. Going out was an excellent idea, we should do this more often!" The beautiful green beast of Konoha declared, springing to his feet with a stability and grace that Kakashi tactfully chose to ignore given he was fairly certain he couldn't do similarly at the moment. He leaned instead on a lamp post.

"Were you talking to me?" Kakashi said quietly looking up from his little orange book he had quickly pulled out of his vest. Guy looked up at Kakashi and affixed his most overwrought face of injured pride with tears rolling down his face.

"Kakashi!? How could you!? You coolness gutters the burning fires of youth that must be kindled if we are to survive the storm of ages!" the man declared raising a fist to the stars with a declaration, as Kakashi slipped the book away, a hidden smile on his face as Guy started one of his wild rants. Kakashi turned and started walking up to his building where they had finally pulled to a stop for this dramatic moment. Guy didn't interrupt his monologue as he enthusiastically waved at Kakashi who waved unenthusiastically back, walking into the apartment building he lived in with the white noise of Might Guy in the background.

It buoyed him all the way up to his apartment, through the five minutes of casual disarmament of his anti-intrusion measures, then into his quiet apartment, soft with the smell of stale air and dust. He let out a deep sigh as he walked to the window to see Guy stumbling up the road to his own home on practically the other end of town all the more impressive because he was doing it on his hands instead of his feet, even though it had him staggering even more than he had been.

Kakashi found that the melancholy of the day had mostly faded. He slept that night with memories of frivolity and inconsequence, the most restful sleep he had in weeks.

* * *

He had finally been allowed, he held the scroll in his hand granting him right to his inheritance. It had been months in bureaucratic limbo. He had practically sprinted across the village to the gates of the small compound at the fringes, in the shadow of the curtain wall. He had burst open the gates with a flash of chakra, unwilling to be gentle. This was his homecoming.

Sasuke's eyes slowly roved from one side of the courtyard to the other and back as he took a few stilted steps into the courtyard. His memory was roiling, as clear as if it had just happened. He breathed slowly, swallowing bile as his heart raced. It was the first time he had set foot back in the Uchiha estates since that day.

He was possessed of a sudden feeling of terrible anger, he wanted to burn it all down. The pain was sharp, fierce, his teeth grit and the tears would sometimes escape his hold and roll down his face. He could almost hear the voices, see the shadows of his clan going about their business. It was paralyzing, and nauseating. He regretted ever setting a single foot in the place again, but all the same he couldn't move. Trapped between this world and the past. In his vision his brother stood calmly over the body of their father.

"Little brother. How unfortunate." The vision swam everything so sharp, so clean, Sasuke's eyes twisted and spun clear even through the tears, staring at the spot the traitor had stood.

Sasuke's mouth moved in echo of words spoken that day "Will you kill me too brother!?"

Itachi frowned, his eyes twisted into the apex of the Uchiha, the intricate web of spinning, deepening red, all at once a pattern and random noise, the hissing sway of the serpent, the dance of the mantis, the poison blossom, the siren song that tore the mind from its moorings.

Sasuke had stared into those eyes, and felt reality shift in a fundamental way. "You are not worth killing…" He blinked back to reality and shook his head free of the tingling in his mind. Those were not the words…

"There is no value in killing you." those words shook him, he scrambled to his feet from where he had fallen, freed of his memories. His voice a tight whisper and cracking in his fury as his tears were drank up by the uncaring dust of the deserted compound.

"I hate you.".

* * *

Kakashi had developed something of a reputation amongst his cute little students, and those with an interest in them, of being something of a slave-driving psychopath. He had been bouncing around before dawn tapping on windows, and in Sasuke's case, foreheads the morning was barely light and already they were taking an easy jog around the outside border wall of Konoha, backwards. It was the kind of thing that other people would have balked at, but Team 7 took it for granted that Kakashi had something in mind. The rest of the day proved that thing was aggressive taijutsu and physical endurance training. He did not, as he often had, push them until one of them failed, when Sakura tripped and couldn't immediately rise he picked her up and literally threw her at Naruto who caught her with a shared indignant squawk of protest to which Kakashi only smiled and brandished shuriken.

As soon a she could walk again Naruto set Sakura down without stopping, knowing that it would encourage their sensei in unpredictable ways. When Sasuke collapsed he too ended up on Naruto's shoulders as Sakura struggled to pick up one foot and put it after the other. Bathed in sweat, staggeringly beaten and bruised from twelve hours of intense working. They never would have made it fresh out of the academy, even with all the months of training they were still only barely able to do what Kakashi asked them. Naruto was last to fall. He collapsed onto his chest during a "cool down run" that was closer to a full wind sprint. Without even having violence threatened against them Sakura and Sasuke both took a shoulder and kept moving as fast as they could. Knowing Kakashi had taken some kind of energy pill to keep after them as hard as he ever had. With the sun beating down on them the three of them found themselves again laying in a cool forest stream.

"What happened today?" Sakura asked dully.

"Maybe we forgot Sensei's birthday." Naruto says timidly and then attempts to stretch which results in much twitching and many tiny gasps of "ow"

"I think he's testing us." Sasuke says after a moment of silence.

"Got it in one." Kakashi says slowly drifting up toward them showing off that after all that, he still has enough Chakra to stand on water.

Naruto and Sakura jolt a bit, ready for another surprise ambush. However Kakashi simply lets his feet sink into the stream.

"That feels nice." he says softly wiggling his toes. The three Genin settle again into the stream letting the cool water push back the fatigue and the absolute stank of half a day of continual pushing.

"Seven weeks, four days. Who has a guess?" Kakashi says looking down at his three wary genin. They pick up their heads with marked difficulty and exchange glances.

"Your birthday?" Naruto ventures, but before Kakashi can respond Sakura chirps up.

"The annual Chunin exams. Wait, don't you usually have to wait at least a year to be entered into that?!" she asks and Sasuke's head turns with a determined expression.

"Maa… more a recommendation than a rule I'd say." Kakashi says with a shrug. Sasuke sits up with a quiet groan.

"You think we're ready?" Sasuke asks, Kakashi having his full attention.

"No." Kakashi says and Sasuke practically hisses at him.

"But it's being held in Konoha." Kakashi continues, raising a finger.

"And we could see what's it's like without the danger of heading into another village to compete!" Naruto exclaims raising both fists into the air while still lying in the stream.

"Good, you get it." Kakashi says with a smug smirk, arms crossed.

"Is that why you're being such a slave driver?" Sakura mumbles and Kakashi leans down to pat her patronizingly on the head.

"Yes. A friend of mine reminded me of our Chunin exams so many years ago." he says with a distant look toward the sun.

The three genin shared a glance.

"So what is there to this? Just show up and fight a bunch of people and call it a day?" Naruto asks bluntly.

"It's a ninja exam, idiot." Sasuke says and Kakashi chuckles.

"You're both right. Every Chuinin exam has three components. Usually a combat section, information section, and a skills section. This is Konoha, so we get to set the rules, so I'd expect two team events and one solo event, probably a tournament of some type.

"Is that what that big stadium is for?" Sakura asked and Kakashi nodded.

"Once upon a time it was for sports, but this is still a hidden village. Three quarters of the population can fit in that thing." Sasuke comments and Sakura flops a bit in the water.

"So we're going to go participate in a thing we're not even gonna be ready for, in seven weeks? So let me guess… More days like today." Sakura asks unamused.

Kakashi, for his part, just gives her a little enthusiastic golf clap.

"Who's ready for Chakra exercises!?" he asks and all three of the genin let out a pained moan of terror.

* * *

"Ow." Naruto comments as he sits on a bench with his teammates, before dawn the next day, having figured they would save their sensei the satisfaction of coming around to haunt their homes some more. However, the sun rose and there was no sign of him. The three of them sat for a little while longer, yawning, shuffling to keep the stiffness at bay, and in Sakura's case, napping lightly at one end of the bench her chin resting on her chest.

Another hour goes by, all three of them are either napping or in the kind of deep meditative state that time has ceased having definite flow subjectively. It is at this time Kakashi walks by nose buried in a little yellow book, he pauses, takes a few steps back and claps the book closed with enough force to rouse Sakura with a jolt though Naruto rouses with a little more aplomb, his eyes merely snapping open as Sasuke rises from his fugue.

"You're late." he says quietly. Kakashi looks up at the sun and then down at his students.

"No I"m not. That would imply I was supposed to be here." Kakashi answers, looking over the three genin who are still piled on the bench with all the care of a toddler who has discovered a new toy elsewhere.

"After yesterday you need a day of rest. That's the pattern now. Day on, day off." Kakashi says and then makes a shooing motion at them.

"So get, go have friends or whatever you kids do." He says flippantly, pulls back out his book, resolutely raises it up to his face and walks off. The three of them look at each other and then the bench.

"Sheesh. What do I even do with this much free time?" Naruto comments.

"Whatever." Sasuke says pushing himself up to his feet, nearly ending up on his face as his legs buckle. Then starts walking off up town. Sakura stands with caution, making it to her feet without incident.

"See you later." she says with a slight dip of a bow and walking off into town leaving Naruto alone on the bench which he promptly spreads out over with a deep sigh.

"Gonna be a long day." Naruto says slumping. He stared up at the dark blue sky as the breeze rustled the trees around him.

* * *

Sakura had a strange feeling, walking around in Konoha, in daylight, without a particular aim. She still had a little spending money in her budget, having probably spent more than he should have on take away when she could not stand the idea of standing over a stove for an hour just to eat. So she walked the town. It was a slow walk, meandering but meditative in its own way.

It was in her wandering through old town that the hair on the back of her neck stood up and her finely honed instinct that something was coming for her made her turn her head, hand already shooting to the kunai she kept at hand to deflect her sensei's probing attacks. Only to find what had come her way was not a weapon but a person, Yamanaka Ino had broken from the four people on the nearby rooftop, two boys and a bearded man that Sakura's prodigious mind soon put names to. Her genin team looked down at her from where they were repairing the roof of the building.

"Hey! What are you doing wandering around in the middle of the day?" Ino asked as an old friend meeting again. It was with a shock that Sakura realized she had not spoken to much of anyone outside her team or their missions since she had left the academy. Her time that had not been spent pouring over texts and manuals from the library had been training or on missions.

All that lost time suddenly crashed in on her and she almost felt woozy with the weight of it. Ino's face pulled into a pretty frown.

"What's the matter forehead? Finally lost your mind?" She asked with a sly smirk, Sakura blinked owlishly.

"Sometimes feels like I might have. Arn't you doing a mission?" Sakura asked looking up at Nara Shikamaru, Aikimichi Choji, and Sarutobi Asuma, who were peering down with expressions of resignation, polite interest, and naked amusement respectively. Ino tilted her head, her eyebrows drawing in at Sakura not rising to the bait and turning to wave to her team.

"Yeah, but it's a D rank and we have all day. They won't mind if I take a little break, will you guys?" she asked looking up and cupping her hands over her mouth in a gesture that was surely unnecessary. Sarutobi-sensei looked from Nara to Aikimichi who sighed and shrugged respectively and Asuma gave her a slight nod.

"Thank you Sensei!" she called enthusiastically and then spun reaching out to give Sakura a firm slap on the shoulder only to be shocked when Sakura thoughtlessly slid out of the swing with easy grace.

"Woah! Nice! Finally developing those physical skills, huh Sakura?" she asked with an easy familiarity. Sakura smiled warmly.

"Yeah, can't be left behind, the boys won't let me even if sensei would." she said softly with a kind of tiredness that had Ino look over Sakura in a way that would have been too subtle for her to have caught some time ago.

"Let's catch an early lunch and catch up a little, yeah?" Ino said bringing a hand to rest on Sakura's back as Sakura reached out to put one on Ino's shoulder.

"That sounds great, you can tell me all about your alone time with Uchiha Sasuke." Ino says dreamily and not without a little envy in her eye.

She seems completely nonplussed as Sakura starts full on laughing as she starts to walk.

"Oh yeah, I'll tell you about Uchiha Sasuke!" she says as the two of them make their way toward new town.

* * *

Naruto was having an off day, he'd started planning two capers but both of them had failed to hold his attention. He'd picked up the list of people who needed to get theirs but it felt darker than it had before. Unclean, in a way. He had wrestled with his feelings for a while, walking the streets as the crowds parted around him as they often did. He made his way across town to the Hokage's tower before he had even realized where he was.

He stood looking at the great structure for a while before walking in the front door and casually walking past security with only a cursory inspection and inquiry to his purpose. He waited with only a minimum of pacing and griping outside the Hokage's office for Sarutobi Hiruzen to finish a meeting he was currently having with his private counsel. After, Shimura Danzo, Nara Shikaku, and Morino Ibiki left the room Naruto was allowed in. the Hokage sat beside a sizeable mountain of paperwork reading and annotating as he needed.

He paused, setting aside his brush to look up with a warm smile that Naruto eagerly returned as the blonde came to stand at the side of the desk. Naruto was careful to not read the papers on it. The Hokage finished the paper he was working on before setting aside his brush and turning his attention fully to the young man in his office.

"What brings my young Uzumaki here today?" he asked in a grandfatherly tone, reaching out a hand to rest on top of Naruto's head.

"We're training harder than ever, every other day because of how hard we're working, and…" Naruto paused, thinking about what he wanted to say. "Something was bothering me grandpa…" Naruto said looking down at his sandals and scuffing them on the wood a bit as he considered how to say what he wanted to say.

The Hokage withdrew his hand and turned a bit to lean on his desk. Willing to let Naruto speak at his own pace, privately welcome for the distraction from heavier topics.

"I… I know that, um." he said glancing up at the patient, understanding eyes of his Hokage then took a breath and set his chin.

"I play a lot of pranks. And I do it… for probably not the best reasons." he admitted, the Hokage gave him an encouraging nod.

"I could never just let it go… all the anger, the… misplaced hate." he said bitterly and Sarutobi's face darkened as well.

"I knew you could not punish it all, so I…. I, um, took it into my own hands." Naruto admitted swallowing to wet his mouth again. The dark look that crossed the Hokage's eyes was not wholly directed at him.

"But I never told you why. I… didn't think I was special." Naruto admitted looking away. He took a minute to gather his courage and look back to find he had the heavy attention of the Professor fully on him.

"What is it you wish to say, Naruto?" Hiruzen said reaching out to pat him on the shoulder.

"That thing, that happened on the bridge. I almost died." Hiruzen nodded gravely. The report had implied that Naruto had fallen into a fugue and been temporarily possessed of frightening abilities but it had been mere speculation from the two genin and Kakashi who could not afford to have paid too much attention given his own battle.

"I saw it, it talked to me." Naruto whispered. Hiruzen's eyes went wide.

* * *

Sasuke sat at a low desk, his hand steady looking at a paper as he carefully dipped his brush and brought it over. His arms were tired from yesterday, but this just took steadiness and smoothness, not strength or speed. He practiced his calligraphy, not out of artistic inclination, but out of need. The orphanage was hardly the best place for such pursuits, but it was where he would remain for now.

To his shame he had been unable to stay long in his ancestral home. The pain was too fresh, the ghosts too real. He had taken what he could carry an practically ran from the grounds, resealing them with indecent haste. He had taken records, logs, and documents.

He understood that he was head of the clan, this meant he needed to be more than merely an excellent and exemplary ninja. He needed to be a statesman, he needed to be a diplomat, and a merchant. He must be a leader in all things for there was no one else. It rested upon him. So with his time off he practiced while his cousins attended their lessons in elementary education. Sasuke set about teaching himself all he would need to know.

There was so much. His father had had his uncles and aunts to lean upon for some of this Sasuke had only himself to avoid having his family's estates and fortunes squandered or wasted. So he practiced his penmanship, and pushed his mind as hard as he could toward these things. Though it did not come easy to him.

He found himself making notes upon notes. Needing to reference constantly and refresh. The burden of leadership weighed upon him as he heard the distant sounds of children at play elsewhere. He looked up at the open window and heard the birds sing. For a moment his heart soared with them, pushing him out into nature, before the soreness in his legs and arms regrounded him. The slow burn of the headache forming reminded him of how far he had yet to go.

He would do it, because it was needed of him, he held the future in his hands. As the hours passed in quiet scholasticism his head drooped further and further, as though depressed by a great weight.

Lord Uchiha, a title, a noble history to accompany it, and heavy was the head that wore that crown.

* * *

A/N: Thank you as always to my readers, and especially to those who feel strongly enough to review. It is no lie that fear of disappointing fans is a powerful motivation to writing for me. I appreciate every person who shows interest in this little project of mine, warts and all and want to thank you for your time.

To respond to specific reviews: Zabzab; thank you as always for your commentary and critique. The capitalization thing is in some way my brain compensating for a lack of ability to place emphasis in English, it is improper written form so I try not to do it, but it does sneak in now and again. I have thought about what you said and it will figure into some characters going forward. when it happens, you are in some small way to blame and I hope this pleases you.

Pheonixx Rising; thank you for your support, I am glad you like the story and that you feel for the characters.

Insanity's Prophet: you were my first reviewer, and it was motivating to see someone express high expectation, especially as I had not written anything seriously in more than half a decade. I am most pleased that you believe I lived up to your expectations, I hope to continue to.

To my reviewers who chose to remain anonymous; I am glad you took the time to leave me your thoughts, no matter how brief.


	14. Untested, Not Uncontested

A/N: I am a victim of fanon. There is a lot I dislike about the canon and I have spent far too much of my time reading fanfiction, and there are a few ideas I have absorbed. I really like Might Guy, he was essentially a punchline in the canon, but to me he has so much potential. He is put on a pedestal beside Hatake Kakashi, an actual living legend in many ways. but besides 8 gates he does very little. We'll be seeing more of him.

* * *

"Has Sarutobi-sensei taught you any techniques?" Sakura asked suddenly, interrupting the flow of Ino's rant about the last D rank they took on. Team 7 had more or less stopped taking D rank missions, it was simply a matter of energy management. When they did take on D-rank missions, Kakashi went out of his way to make them harder or more dangerous than they needed to be, even at the expense of the mission itself.

It had made the Hokage somewhat cross to learn of it, but they hadn't quite managed to actually fail one of the missions yet so he seemed inclined to allow the child abuse to continue. Amusingly it was Sakura who insisted that they keep doing D rank missions. As the only member of Team 7 without either a supplemental income stream or decades of cheap taste and extremely dangerous missions backing their lifestyle.

She was feeling the budget crunch, it was one of the reasons that she cooked at home, she'd admitted to Naruto who had agreed at least in principle. Though he did quietly admit that the Ichiraku family offered him a very modest discount when he was there.

The question brought a frown to Ino's face and she tapped her chin.

"Well he taught us tree climbing for about a week, then water walking for around a month. Mostly we to D's and focus on our clans skills. All of us are important to our homes afterall." Ino stated running a hand vainly through her hair.

The motion caught Sakura's eye and she fingered the cherry locks on her shoulder. She had still never quite recovered her appearance maintenance routine. Her hair was limp and dull. Glancing at Ino's shining tresses she shrunk down a little.

"But I guess no, not really… why has Hatake been feeding you techniques?!" Ino asked suddenly fiercely interested, her big, soft, pale green eyes shining with interest.

"Um, mostly the same as you've been learning… there was one thing though." she said trailing off in the face of the beautiful girl practically climbing over the table to grab Sakura's hands.

"You've gotta show me!" she says practically gushing. Sakura flushed a little at the enthusiasm. Then Ino paused and rubbed Sakura's hands in her own. Ino suddenly leaned in with a sharp scrutiny, a hand coming up to Sakura's cheek and giving it a gentle pinch, then bringing her hand over to gently touch Sakura's hair.

"Sakura, dear, are you feeling alright?" her friend asks filled with concern.

"I'm fine! I just, Sensei, well, he has been pushing us really hard lately…" she trailed off at the pouty expression Ino had on her face.

"Oh, sweetie you've got to take a moment for yourself. Look at this, these dark circles, and your hair!" she says rubbing the lock she had in her fingers again then looked down at Sakura's hand. Running her thumb over the smaller girl's fingers and hand.

Sakura, already somewhat flustered by the attention bloomed into full on mortified when Ino took her hands and held them up scrutinizing the dry, calloused skin of her hands.

"He really has been working you, huh…?" Ino asked then her hands slid up Sakura's arms and the blonde gasped quietly. She was gently squeezing Sakura's forearms.

"Holy spirit of the woods, you have muscles!" Ino squeaked yanking one arm forward and pulling up Sakura's sleeve to run her hands over her arm enviously. Then quickly pushed up her own sleeve and held it next to Sakura's and flexed. Sakura watched Ino's face with a mask of confusion.

"Flex!" Ino demanded and Sakura hiccuped to obey her hand snapping into a fist and the muscles beneath her skin jumping to tembling attention. She was almost shocked to see the size of her own muscle beside Ino. Thousands of throws and tens of thousands of blocks and parries had hardened her. It was weird as she looked at the relative tan she had compared to Ino, the softness of the blonde's skin and complexion compared to the workman like state of her own. She frowned at the minute amounts of dirt that Ino rubbed out of her palms.

"Ew, don't you shower at night?" Ino asks giving Sakura a stern look. Sakura's face color fully matched her hair as she grimaced and looked anywhere but Ino's face.

"Yes! I bathe every day, I end up every training day smelling as bad as the boys and twice as dirty from just the sheer amount of time I spend falling over tired. It's why I'm getting a day off, to recover!" she hisses at Ino who holds up a hand wardingly and winces away.

"Okay, okay! I believe you! Please don't bite my head off, I was just worried about you. So, have your parents seen what you've become in less than half a year?" Ino asked with a sly grin, more suggestive than Naruto's more feral smirk, but with a similar mischievous energy.

"T-they must have been delayed, it happens sometimes!" Sakura sputters and Ino's brows pull together.

"For five months? Isn't that the longest they've ever been away?" she asks holding Sakura's hands again. More comforting than appraising now. Sakura looks down at her hands and her face gets distant. She'd been so wrapped up in her training, and the shock of the mission that the passage of time had really walked her by.

"...yeah… it is. I hadn't realized…." she said, testing the words as her brain caught up to the reality.

"Sakura have you been home alone for all this time? Have you been eating alright!?" she asks then looks down at her forearm again.

"Ha… silly question." Ino says with an apologetic smile to meet Sakura's quirked eyebrow.

"Seriously though, even Sasuke has his cousins, have you been talking to anybody but your team?" Ino asked that tone of concern coming back again.

"I'm sitting here talking to you aren't I?" Sakura says pulling her hands back gently, defensively. Turning her face away again.

"Yeah! As of like, last week! And we haven't gotten to Half of what has happened in your life! You spent most of it complaining, or letting me complain, you silly Forehead!" Ino said raising a finger to halfheartedly flick Sakura right in the aforementioned. Sakura grabbed the offending hand.

"Ino pig! Start with me and I'll put you straight into the dirt!" Sakura hissed, and Ino snorted and stuck up her nose.

"Oh yeah I'm sure that you can just get over all that soreness and pain you were just complaining about not ten minutes ago." Ino says pulling her hands back and giving her hair a dismissive flick.

"I'm sure I don't need to be at my top to beat you, pig!" Sakura boasts hopping to her feet, Ino hopped right up after her.

"I'd like to see you try, don't worry, I'll carry you to the hospital when you cry!" Ino declared haughtily.

"Oh yeah!?" Sakura growled.

"Oh, yeah!" Ino answered and the two of them stood sizing each other up for a few moments as the heat slowly died.

"...wanna spar?" Ino asked cooly, sizing up Sakura slowly. Sakura for her part rolled her shoulders and flexed her hands producing a staccato of satisfying pops.

"I think it would be good to have a new opponent to test myself against." Sakura says with a polite smile, the competitive gleam in her eye not lost on the blonde.

I'll get Sarutobi-Sensei, we could use a referee." Ino comments looking down at her nails boredly. Sakura shrugs.

"Sounds like a plan, Training ground seven?" she asks glancing in its direction.

"Sure. See you there forehead." she says jabbing affectionately.

"I'm sure I'll hear you coming piggy." Sakura shoots back.

The two of them share one last gleaming glare and a matching pair of competitive smiles before Ino takes a few running steps and a gentle huff of effort as she leaps up onto the rooftops. Sakura, for her part decides to make a gentle warm up job to stretch her out on her way to the training ground to wait for Ino and Sarutobi-Sensei. However she took a detour, thinking on the fly. What good is a competition without stakes, afterall?

* * *

Naruto found himself spread around town, considering what he was doing with his day. He hadn't pulled a prank since he'd been to talk to his grandfather. The activity had taken on a more sinister tone than he was comfortable with and he'd spent much of the day thinking. Indeed he was in five places at the library reading about a number of topics. He had questions and was not sure how to answer them.

He was in the academy considering interrupting Iruka sensei, he was following Kakashi-sensei, who was steadfastly ignoring him. He was standing on a shallow stream, letting the current carry him, he was sitting in the trees kicking his feet. He was sitting across from himself, thinking about the way he looked, the way he felt.

He noticed some people gathering at the training ground that their team often used. His true self stood up and started moving, bringing the contemplatively living mirror with.

Sakura and Ino were standing a short way apart, and a bearded man in a jonin vest had appeared with them. But interestingly, Sasuke was there as well. His arms were crossed but he was watching the proceedings with naked interest. That alone was reason for Naruto to get himself over there.

He listened as he made his way there, the bearded jonin spoke with a gruff voice. His face was familiar but Naruto couldn't immediately place him. He explained the academy standard sparring rules, then deviated to ask if they would like any considerations. Sakura suggested allowing chakra techniques, and Ino agreed. Naruto didn't like the way Ino tried to conceal her eagerness at the rule shift. He was fairly sure Sakura didn't see it or she wouldn't be quite as eager to allow the fight. He didn't know what Ino had in store, but it wasn't going to be good for Sakura's chances.

Sasuke seemed to be coming to a similar conclusion as his face pulled into a scowl. The two girls squared off and bowed slightly to each other just as Naruto took a running, chakra boosted leap that took him soaring to land in the trees above Sasuke with little rustling, the boy stiffened at the slight sound and did not react when Naruto dropped down next to him with barely a whisper of motion.

"What did I miss?" he asked and Sasuke jumped only slightly at his volume, glancing over.

"Sakura asked me to watch this sparring session and give her my thoughts." Sasuke said dubiously. Naruto frowned thoughtfully, that didn't sound much like Sakura but he let it slide.

"And you agreed?" he asked, curious. It wasn't like Sasuke to spend his time off on anything but family or training. Then again, it wasn't much like Sakura to disobey their sensei so blatantly either. He supposed he wasn't the only one feeling out of sorts today.

"I want to see what others are doing. We only fight each other, we only work with each other. We're going to be in the Exams, I want to have some idea of what's out there." Sasuke reasoned in his monotone huff.

Naruto considered this too, now it made sense. He silently spread himself out to three deeper angles to watch the fight too. He didn't miss the way Ino grimaced when she saw him. But she seemed to miss both the more hidden clones lurking around the training ground.

As the oddly familiar Jonin standing by gave the signal to begin things got heated quickly.

Sakura decided to break with her usual strategy of waiting to look for an opening to attack and went straight for the Yamanaka. Ino for her part immediately started flashing hand signs only to have to backpedal and evade as Sakura came at her in a rush.

Ino used the basic style, just like Sakura. This proved to be something of a mistake, as Sakura pushed hard and putting some extra force into her swings threatened to blow through the blonde's guard the first two times they clashed. Sakura failed to truly capitalize on her advantages, seemingly unprepared for them. But if Sakura was surprised, Ino was shocked.

Ino recovered well, slithering back smoothly enough to avoid being immediately overwhelmed but the messiness of the first seconds left both of the girls wrong-footed.

The fight quickly became a brawl, Sakura pushing tenaciously while Ino tried to create space for whatever she had in store.

Sasuke was watching placidly, Naruto had two sets of eyes on the fight, and the last set watching the bearded jonin and Sasuke. Both the men seemed interested in the fight, Sasuke due to his unblinking gaze that never wandered off the fighters, and the Jonin, more nakedly watching with one arm crossed his body, one stroking his beard, and puffing thoughtfully at a cigarette as he watched.

"Neh… so Uchiha, she couldn't even walk at the end of yesterday." Naruto says speculatively.

"Hn." Sasuke responds.

"And now she's fighting the number two kunoichi in our class, and kinda winning a little." Naruto says with a hint of pride.

"Hn." Sasuke responds.

"I kinda wanna fight Kiba again now, what do you think?" Naruto says with a grin and a slight chuckle.

"Hn." responds Sasuke.

"...You know what, why am I even talking to you." Naruto asks glaring at Sasuke who pulls his eyes away from the fight to glare at Naruto like he were a particularly uppity frog.

Naruto puts his nose in the air and walks over to the Jonin.

"Neh, Jonin sir?" Naruto asks, approaching to a respectful distance. The bearded man turns his attention from the fight for a moment to take in Naruto at a glance.

"Uzumaki. Did you need something?" he asked politely.

Naruto thought about it for a moment.

"What do you think of all this?" He asks throwing out his arms to take in the fight as it was going, with Ino nearly perpetually on the defense and Sakura chasing her like a dog chases a squirrel.

"Ino needs to practice her Taijutsu more." he says, "And you can call me Asuma, you're practically my cousin given how my father treats you." he says with a glance and a momentary smirk.

"OH! You're Sarutobi Asuma!" Naruto says with a hop and a dramatic point that draws a groan from Sasuke.

"You're something else kid, yeah I am. Sensei to team 10. Ino asked me to referee." He said thoughtfully as Sakura started to slow down, there was a tremor in her movements that wasn't present a minute ago.

It seemed that Sakura felt the effects of yesterday's training and that gave Ino enough space to perform an elaborate throw with a slightly overextended punch. Sending Sakura tumbling to the ground and even as she scrambled to her feet Ino finished her series of hand seals and thrust her hands out toward Sakura.

In that moment two things happened, Ino dropped like a puppet with strings cut, and Sakura stumbled and seemed to tremble, blinking owlishly.

"Eugh! What the hell!? You were fighting like this!?" Sakura griped in a decidedly unsakuralike fashion pulling herself up into a haughty pose more at home on the blonde currently kissing dirt.

"Oh, I hope I didn't bump my head…" Sakura said walking over to Ino shakily and inspecting her head.

"Well I think that's a victory for Ino." Asuma says rolling his cigarette to the other side of his mouth.

"Yeah!" Sakura says throwing an arm up into the air while Sasuke's face has pulled into a frown of intense concentration.

"What? Did you steal her body or something!?" Naruto asks pointing at Sakura.

Sakura strikes a pose with a smug smile.

"Of course I did, Yamanaka secret technique, Mind transfer! She's in here, and pretty upset actually… Also by all that's good in the world Sakura take a break, your body feels like a wreck…" Sakura says slumping visibly before shuffling Ino into a more comfortable position taking a few steps away and closing her eyes.

Sakura gives out a full body shiver as Ino's eyes pop open and she sits up easily.

"Seriously Sakura, you thought you could win a fight like that? I'm shocked you want to walk at all, what did you do a thousand squats?" Ino asks dusting herself off and straightening her hair while Sakura crosses her arms and huffs.

"Lot of trash talk coming from the girl that almost lost." An errant Naruto muttered from over Sasuke's head, the black haired boy jumped a little but quickly masked it over to mutter back to the clone.

"Annoying girl." He added monotonically.

"Only two hundred, but with Sensei on my shoulders…" she mutters testily and Asuma lets out a surprised bark of laughter.

"What's that old scarecrow up to? I know he and Guy are tight, but that's a little wild even for him!" Asuma barks around a bit of laughter.

"We have to be ready!" Sakura whines throwing up her arms in exasperation.

"What could you possibly need to be ready for that would make you do two hundred squats with a grown man on your shoulders?" Ino asked plaintively.

"The Exams!" Sakura nearly shouted, Ino looked confused by the way her face screwed up. Asuma's eyebrows had jumped up.

"You're rookies and he's thinking about sending you into that meat grinder?" He snorted and covered part of his mouth with his hand.

"Well, I suppose it is in Konoha…" he added Naruto walked over to Sakura standing nearby curiously watching Ino.

"Sensei, what is she talking about?" Ino asked walking over to the jonin with her hands clasped plaintively.

"The chunin exams. They're held on a rotating basis in different villages. It's a relatively new idea. Established after the last shinobi war. The idea was to create an opportunity for nations to show off their prowess and specialty as well as control the number of advanced ninja available to each nation. As a show of good will, it was hosted the first time in Konoha, then bounced one village to the next, there's a whole diplomatic angle and a lot of rules of good behaviour, but the idea is sound and we're going to have a staggering number of foreign ninja participating. It's likely to be held in the forests of Konoha rather than the village itself for safety reasons." Asuma explained.

Sakura had that look on her face that she only got when she was presented with something that required prompt memorization. Sasuke was nodding along, absorbing the concept while Naruto had a faraway look on his face.

"So what you're saying is, if we skip this year, we'll have to travel to some other land to have a shot at being Chuunin." Naruto comments and Asuma offers a shrug and a nod.

"Unless you're willing to wait a few years, there's only five villages that have volunteered to host the exams, so roughly every five years it should be in Konoha…" Asuma comments.

"Wait, you said you had a technique! You didn't even use it in that fight!" Ino declared interrupting Asuma by pointing accusingly at Sakura who help up a hand defensively.

"Come on Ino, you know how tired I am." she deflected with a sigh, but the blonde persisted, stepping up closer and getting a finger into Sakura's face.

"It was half the reason I agreed! You said Kakashi had taught you a technique!" Ino accused, which got Sarutobi Asuma to smirk. Sakura took a moment with a resigned look on her face before turning to the side and pointing.

"I'll do it over there, watch." she said as Ino turned with her hands on her hips and Sakura quickly slipped through her hand seals before cheekily turning to hit Ino who stood with her hands on her hips, her eyes dull, unseeing. Sakura smiled a devilish little grin and walked to the other side of Ino with her arms crossed.

"Lonely Watch." Asuma said appreciatively at the distant looking Ino who had started lethargically spinning around her mouth numbly moving as she started to look annoyed.

"It must have taken you a lot of work to get good enough to use that successfully." Asuma said considering Sakura who beamed a bright smile for her part.

Ino's anger was turning into a more fearful expression as her feet started to lift and fall a bit in place. Still Sakura flashed a V for victory sign that got a near audible eye roll out of Sasuke and a snicker out of Naruto who was over by Ino watching her wander in the lost dream she was stuck in.

"How long until she figures it out?" Naruto asks holding out a finger to threaten to poke the ensorceled blonde.

Sakura reached out to bat away his fingers.

"Don't touch her or she'll break out of it. It'll last… maybe another minute or so, I didn't have a lot to put behind it." Sakura admitted sheepishly. Asuma chuckled.

"Very impressive, Genjutsu at your age is very unusual, even if a relatively rudimentary one." the smoking jonin commented.

"I wanted to learn more, but Hatake-sensei won't give me any more. I've been trying to find more information to get more under my belt, but everybody is so tight lipped with techniques…" Sakura griped. Asuma stepped over to her and patted her on the head.

"I'm sure you can find what you're looking for, if you try hard enough." He says with an approving smile. Sakura decides to accept the head pats without rancor in exchange for the encouragement.

"AHH!" Ino says stumbling around, flailing a moment and falling on the ground,

"What!? How!? Where!?" she sputters. Naruto and Sakura crack right up, and even Asuma lets out a little chuckle.

"Forehead!" Ino shrieks, and Sakura doesn't have it in her to get angry back.

* * *

"So, I hear you decided to disobey my order Sakura, so unlike you. I'm hurt." Kakashi said early the next morning, before dawn standing on her feet while she held a handstand. His tone was light, but all three of them had a chagrined expression. This could easily turn into a rousing round of punishments.

"But I can't fault you for wanting to test yourself, I heard you did fairly well against Yamanaka Ino. So I thought today I'd bring in a friend of mine and you can really test yourselves against someone." Kakashi explained distantly.

"Who is it sensei?" Naruto asked eagerly.

At that moment a Kunai flew from the trees and embedded itself just in front of Naruto's face as the boy flipped backward to avoid it with a yelp. A moment later a man appeared a leaping jump kick forced Kakashi to nimbly leap off of Sakura's feet straight up into the air forcing the girl to scramble out of the way of the descending Kakashi to end up not far from the shock of green standing proudly in the pre-dawn glow.

He was followed by a small replica the two of them smiling broadly with perfectly maintained teeth to go with spotless attire consisting of green spandex bodysuits which left nothing to the imagination. Sakura had trouble looking at them but Sasuke found he couldn't look away from the shocking pair. Naruto walked up to the pair standing with hands on hips and tugged at the spandex on the smaller one.

"What's with the getup?" Naruto asked curiously while the bigger one gave him a thumbs up and spoke in a booming voice that seemed to perfectly fit his larger-than-life presence.

"Why it is breathable, sweat-wicking, and eminently fashionable for the striving Taijutsu master! There is no greater clothing than the body stocking!" he declared pinching the material of his own suit and pulling it several inches from his body before letting it snap back.

"I am~!" he began until Kakashi finally landed right were Gai was standing neatly depositing himself on the shoulders of the ostentatious man who barely even flinched to have the grown adult dropping at terminal velocity onto his shoulder.

" 'Morning Gai, I see you're chipper as always." he says smoothly looking at his students.

"AH! Kakashi, you coolness is on full display this morning! I have arrived as requested after our morning warm up!" He declared with a veritably blinding smile and a deep laugh patting Kakashi on the shin affectionately. Kakashi easily hopped down to lean on Gai crossing one leg over the other and his arms as well.

"You see, my cute little students were getting bored of exercises, with the chunin exams coming up we've been hitting the dirt pretty hard lately and thought we could use a change up, the rest of your team coming?" He asked casually and the bowl-cut sporting spandex clad jonin gave a dramatic wink.

"Ah, soon I feel, they often maintain a more moderate pace than Lee and I! It is allowed. Morning exercise should be taken at one's own pace!" Might Guy declared warmly looking upon Team Seven, his smile moderated to a mere glow. True to his word two other younger ninja came jogging up, looking warm but unwinded.

Sakura's eyes narrowed as she wracked her brain for the names of the two, Rock Lee was obviously the one beside Might-sensei, he's already been mentioned by name. One of them was unquestionably a Hyuuga. They had had Hinata in their class and the resemblance was unquestionable. Round of face, dark of hair, fair of skin. But the most striking is the eyes, pupilless and nearly milk white. Not terribly unlike cataracts. They gave him a grave appearance that matched with his humorless expression.

The girl near the Hyuuga had two neat little buns high on her head and a northern style cut to her clothes leaving her arms bare to show off impressive muscling, her thighs and belt were festooned with weapon pouches, she must have been carrying five or six times the average load of weapons, and that was just what was visible. Lee carried only two weapon pouches on his hips, she had half a dozen and also scroll sheaths, with who knew what in them. Her smile was genuine but far more muted than her sensei or his mimic.

"Hello there." Sakura says clasping her hands in front of her and giving a small bow. Which Lee snapped to return and the bun-girl also returned.

"It seems our senseis know each other, but I don't know you all, I am Haruno Sakura. Please treat me kindly." she glances at Naruto who hops back a bit, snaps to attention and puts a big smile on, bowing more deeply.

"I am Uzumaki Naruto! I am going to be Hokage one day!" he says rising up and giving a thumbs up. Rock Lee returns the thumbs up eagerly, the bun headed girl gives a laugh.

"Nice to meet you! I am Rock Lee!" the younger version of Might Guy says offering a deep formal bow, hands at his sides. As he snaps back up to ramrod posture he strikes an elaborate pose and smiles blindingly.

"I am Tenten, pleased to meet you!" she says sweetly rising from her respectful bow with a warm smile.

Six pairs of eyes slide to the two remaining individuals unintroduced. First from the Hyuuga, then to the Uchiha who are staring at each other with such intensity that the air feels positively electrified.

"Uchiha." the Hyuuga says softly, his tone frosty.

"Hyuuga." the Uchiha responds, his tone smoldering.

"Perhaps we should compare techniques." suggested the Hyuuga taking a step forward, his hands by his sides, deliberately relaxed. Head up, nearly looking down his nose at the slightly shorter boy.

"It would be interesting." Sasuke responded, his arms crossed over his chest, standing with his head bowed. Naruto started to creep backward, Tenten followed suit. Lee and Sakura looked somewhat more concerned with the ongoing state of affairs, though neither said anything. Guy and Kakashi shared a private smile.

"I suppose this was inevitable." Might says softly.

"Mah, we were counting on it." Hatake says with a chuckle.

"I suppose we were." Might agrees with an answering chortle.

Neither the Hyuuga nor Uchiha had blinked in a fair while. Sasuke blinked first, not in defeat, for when his eyes opened, they turned slowly, red and beguiling. The Hyuuga's eyes widened slightly the vessels around his eyes bulged and his eyes seemed to deepen, their color going deep as one stared not into a flat iris, but into an infinite depth of soft white.

"I am Uchiha Sasuke." he said softly, inclining his head only marginally.

"Hyuuga. Neji." the other answered his frown deepening fractionally.

There was a beat of calm, then action.

* * *

Perhaps somewhat rude to end there, but this chapter was going to go very long and it would have taken probably at least another week to get the whole fight written. But now there's a bit of an Elephant. Byakugan. To me it is wasted opportunity. for being one of the "Three Great Dojutsu" is is a pale (pardon the pun) comparison to either the sharingan or the rinnegan. I aim to change that, in part by bringing the other two down, but also by giving the Byakugan a bit more. I will elaborate as it becomes relevant.

In the meantime, thank you to the anonymous person who read and commented on nearly every chapter of my story, I appreciated your kind words.

and thank you to Pink Permission: the enthusiasm of my readers is a warmth to me in cold days, thank you for taking the time.

As always the best way for me to improve as a writer is to receive criticism, please tell me what you liked, what you didn't like, ways I could improve or things I should keep doing. Thank you for your time.


	15. Tension and Release

A/N: Life is a complicated mess. However I have returned. This story lives again.

* * *

As the two gifted dojutsu users took their first steps toward each other Might Guy's heavy voice interrupted with a tone of great authority.

"I think you should reconsider this situation." Might said sternly and Neji, without turning his head, sighed, straightened, and the infinite depth of his soft white eyes collapsed back into a human organ.

"Yes. I apologize, Sensei This is most inauspicious.' Neji said as Sasuke blinked away his Sharingan. Kakashi gave a subtle nod that Sasuke accepted similarly wordlessly.

"I know your families have this dramatic rivalry thing going on, but let's keep a lid on it until we actually get around to the sparring part." Kakashi says with a condescending air that visibly rubs both the prickly Uchiha and the standoffish Hyuuga the wrong way. Might lets out a deep full bodied laugh that eases the tightening tension.

"Regardless! We came together today to train our bodies and our spirits! Afterall! You will be representing Konoha in the upcoming examinations!" Might Guy declares with a finger pointed to the east. Lee immediately looked pumped at the prospect of training, though Neji was turning a more speculative eye toward Team 7 now, Tenten smiled brazenly at Sakura who returned the approving smile a bit more conservatively.

"I believe my, admittedly somewhat more experienced, team may have a shot at promotion! And Hatake graciously asked me if I might be willing to bring in a more joint training atmosphere as he has been giving you a more accelerated program to prepare you for what will likely be a devilishly challenging experience. Allow our combined experience to wash over you and impart some piece of its wisdom!" Guy explained while Sasuke looked sour, Naruto had a largely blank expression, and Sakura looked intensely contemplative.

"We'll do our best! Believe it!" The heretofore uncharacteristically quiet Naruto declared presenting a big thumbs up to Might Guy who returned it enthusiastically, mirrored a moment later by Rock Lee.

"Then we shall together fan the flames of youth to great new heights and become truly splendid ninja!" The young Lee declared in a loud voice.

* * *

Kakashi had been pushing them hard, it was true, none would deny it, but the pace set by Guy and Kakashi together was ridiculous. Team 7 thought they had come a long way. Watching team Guy work together taught them a few things about stacking specializations. Neji's arm length was the most dangerous place to be. Though a close second was out from behind hard cover, Tenten displayed a skill with throwing weapons of all kinds that terrified. Not to discount Rock Lee. Rock Lee's prowess in the realm of the physical was the result of obsession, for all that everything he did was utterly guileless. There was no other way to say it.

Neji made careful use of misdirection, bushin, and false sound to always attack from unexpected angle, always moving lashing out to strike for only a moment before fading away. He was unsurpriseable, always exactly where he was needed without fail in their joint spars.

As soon as Naruto's cunning got him close to Tenten, Neji was there to force him away. When careful manipulation gave Sakura an edge on Rock Lee, Neji would appear as though summoned to even the scales. His slightest motion brought pain and ruin. With the subtle tap of his fingers limbs went dead limp or seized painfully, Chakra became as so much dry sand where before it was as wet clay, slipping away.

Neji was capable of fighting two, or even all three of them, with at least passable skill for at least a few moments. His one weakness was in constantly seeking out Uchiha Sasuke and putting them in situations where they would fight one on one.

He was marginally faster with his hands, but not the stronger. His gentle fist was crippling, but Sasuke was like a snake when his eyes were open, slithering through strikes to give nearly as good as he got. More than once one or the other had been left writhing in the dirt with the other barely on their feet and both in need of medical attention.

Prodigy against prodigy they were seemingly nearly evenly matched with the edge of experience fingering the scale toward Neji.

The same could not be said of the rest of them, Sakura and Naruto often found themselves matching against Tenten and Lee. In a fight, the latter was almost always the victor. Tenten had eyes like an eagle and aim to match. Her technique was impeccably honed from thousands of hours of practice and experimentation.

Rock Lee was fast and fought with a ferociousness that was humbling. He lacked Tenten's accuracy at range but with his nearly flawless internal technique he could, with a burst of chakra enhanced strength, hurl a Kunai so deeply into a tree it would seem to vanish. Taking a single strike from him was a mistake, and being grabbed was grounds to instantly surrender as both Naruto and Sakura learned. Even Sasuke had to play very carefully around the wide-eye'd young man whose whole persona sparked with single minded intensity.

His style was simply to overpower. He wasted little time with feints or misdirection using them only very rarely though it hardly mattered, only Sasuke was fast enough to really dodge him with any reliability. However he could not use any serious long ranged technique and had virtually no answer to genjutsu or area of effect besides attempting to outrun it.

They trained together every day. The days off had been a reprieve, to lose them taught Team 7 the meaning of exhaustion. Still, they kept up, through some miracle.

It was not all head to head; field training, survival, trapwork, information gathering, any and all skills a ninja may need. It was here, off the battlefield, Team Seven found their time to shine. It was some small consolation that Naruto's fiendish skill at trapcraft and sheer stealth was completely unmatched aside Neji's all-seeing eyes, though even he was occasionally tricked by an utterly mundane trap cleverly concealed. Sakura's sheer accumulated knowledge made her indispensable in scrounging and scavenging, information was king in infiltration and espionage. Sasuke's quick reactions and unflappable poise made his disguise and sheer capability at blending into the background through stillness a force in the quiet arts, easily taking after Sakura's needs or Naruto's keen predatory instinct.

Tenten was good at asking questions, but seemed to miss the forest for the trees occasionally, Rock Lee took physical notes with wild abandon, trying to capture every word of Naruto's winding explanations and anecdotes while trying to wrestle with Sakura's highly developed vocabulary. Even Neji payed close attention to their instruction and insight. It wasn't the smoothest of days. But at least it didn't leave them physically crippled.

Kakashi and Guy only sparingly interfered with the two teams, injecting stories or insights as needed and mostly happy to subtly guide and goad the two teams into interacting. Though they also occasionally had to do the opposite, keeping Sasuke or Neji from crippling the other and abandoning the greater point of the various drills and exercises to take another stab at each other.

* * *

At the end of two weeks of hell Team 7 arrived at their usual training ground to find that the familiar sight of Might Guy and Rock Lee were absent, and so was Kakashi. There was really nothing to do for it but wait for them.

And after the first thirty minutes Sasuke started to get restless, taking to throwing kunai at a tree, five of them, before collecting them and doing it again. It took Sakura a few repetitions to notice that he wasn't throwing the way they were taught at the academy but very deliberately throwing them in a peculiar way. She started to mimic him and was shocked at how different it felt in her hands to do it like he was. Naruto wasn't too far behind once she got started. Four Narutos joining in the impromptu group session.

Sasuke noticed he was being copied and obliged in his own way, slowing down a bit so they could pick up the nuance of it, even though he said nothing. He was working off a flawless memory after all. They had only his example. It was kind of cathartic, throwing the knife and watching five other knives hit wood around the clearing. It formed a kind of meditative repetition.

He lost easy count of his throws letting the sheer focus of attempting perfection carry him along. The six of them managed to miss out on the seventh amongst them until a hand landed on Sakura's shoulder leading her into a defensive dive and hurl the kunai in her hand at the one who touched her without making so much as a sound. Kakashi naturally caught the kunai through the ring with his finger, turning her throw into a nifty little spin.

"Sorry kids." Kakashi said drawling out his words as one of the Narutos went over to where Kakashi was standing, Sasuke hovered a short ways off, throwing the ninja knives still. Just finishing the grouping.

"I got lost on the road of life, helping a little old lady across the street you see…." he started and Sasuke scooped up and hurled a small stone at Hatake's forehead in one motion. No one was surprised when their sensei dutifully dodged with so little effort that it ruffled his silver hair as it passed.

"Skip the dramatics Sensei!" Naruto said with a theatrical shrug and a smile. "What gives?" another asked petulantly, a remark echoed by all the remaining Narutos

"Like I said, the old lady…" he started up again and Sakura groaned and flopped down from the crouch she'd settled into to a spread eagle puddle on the ground.

"Oh fine, you kids are no fun." Kakashi said rolling his eye, with a partially concealed smirk.

"Guy and his team decided that he would like to take the last weeks up to the examination for a little more individual training… and to let them relax a little before throwing them into a life and death situation.

Sakura's eyes widened a little and she lifted her head to stare at Kakashi. Sasuke spoke first though.

"Life and death? Isn't this supposed to be an advancement exam?" He asked acidically.

"There are participants from many villages, and…" Kakashi trailed off as Sasuke's frown settled into a scowl.

"Well, not everyone has the same opinion of fair play." He finished with a small smile.

"The Village Hidden in the Mist for instance, they say there's something in the water out there, because they're an unpredictable bunch at the best of times, and their internal structure is more than a little… Hmm… Bloodthirsty." The way Kakashi pronounced the word sent a shiver through Sakura who sat up.

"They'll try to kill us? Why are they allowed to participate?" she asks face screwed up in disgust.

"They promised not to, and it's not like they are more than Genin themselves. So in theory they should be only about as good as you, or they'd have already made rank, right?" Kakashi answered in a way that made her frown but made Sasuke spit.

"So nobody tries to stop them." He mutters darkly.

"Oh no, they try to stop them, and if you're caught trying to kill your opponents you will at minimum fail the exam, at least here in Konoha. Not to forget the bounty you might find on yourself." Kakashi mentioned rubbing his chin. Naruto's eyes flashed between his teammates.

"So… what you're saying is…" Naruto started as Sasuke and Sakura both looked up at the boy whose face was carefully neutral.

"They'll be in a lot of trouble… _If_ they get caught." he says slowly and Kakashi gave him a cold smile.

"Exactly, exactly that." He says pointing at Naruto. The other two chewed on that information for a bit.

"However, that's in a little bit yet. Today we have training to do!" Kakashi said clapping his hands softly, pulling attention back to himself. His eye slid across the three of them one by one.

"So I'll be nice, since you've been having it a little rougher… and give you oh... Ten... Nine…" Three pairs of eyes widened and vanished into the underbrush in roughly the same direction as the countdown continued behind them.

* * *

Three Genin stood at a remove from the gates of Konoha with their official instructions in Sasuke's hands six eyes glittering with private thoughts as Kakashi stands in front of them. Each of them, as instructed by their letter of invitation, were wearing their full field kit in their travel backpacks. He looked over the three game-faced children, lost in thought for several seconds. They probably weren't ready, but they should know what they were up against. They'd killed, been blooded, This was the next step. It didn't make it any easier.

"Well, here we are. You're as ready as you can be in so little time." Kakashi says, his back straight. He was making an admirable attempt at looking completely serious and were it not for a stifled yawn near the beginning of his little speech they may even have believed him.

"Good luck!" Kakashi says and his hands whip out of his pockets hands opening up in the air Sasuke started jumping back as soon as Kakashi's hands started to move, the other two a fraction of a second later, all three of them looked down at shock at the riot of tiny bits of meticulously shredded colored paper that had settled all over themselves.

All three of them looked down at themselves Sasuke started hissing and spitting while furiously brushing at his hair and the front of his shirt while Naruto just broke down laughing, by the time he was halfway to the ground he too threw up his arms "Good luck!" he declared through the giggles, which eventually infected Sakura who threw up her arms in solidarity. The three of them stood with their hands up in the air trying to breath while staring at the Uchiha who grumbled, turned his back on them, muttered under his breath flicked a bit off his pants and after nearly a minute of feeling five eyes boring into his back raised one arm.

"Good luck." he said with just an edge of defeat.

* * *

Walking calmly through the Konoha Forest yet again at the break of dawn there was a feeling of auspiciousness. It felt like leaving safety behind. They traveled without their Sensei for the first time. The scroll they carried had particular instructions, heading to a particular location on the map. Sakura was watching the compass and leading effortlessly.

Each had added little accents to their simple packs. Sasuke was wearing more equipment webbing than he ever had bothered with before. Easily doubling the amount of throwing weapons he'd ever carried. They'd spent their time wisely. Each of the three honing their strengths and finding new combinations. Sasuke had found that range fitted his style well. He still lacked the sheer power Tenten had brought, but he substituted it with absolutely dirty tricks. Something he'd been slowly learning from Naruto.

Naruto for his part had invested in something a little different. A short single edged blade, one part weapon, three parts tool. quicker to shape wood or dig earth than his hands alone, he came stocked for trouble. He'd learned a lot from the manuals on hunting and guerrilla warfare that stretched back into the history of the nation of fire and the Warring Clans period. Speaking of learning Sakura's kit had shifted the most. she'd strapped a tactical web and it was filled with a few things. Chief amongst them was poisons, liquid and powder, and chemical assistance.

She had been very cagey about speaking to Kakashi Sensei about it. One doesn't simply walk up to their boss and request help acquiring combat drugs. when she had finally gotten up the gumption, prepared with promises and books to explain her reasoning and thinking she had been nonplussed when Kakashi had asked for her wishlist. He'd taken her himself leaving Naruto and Sasuke to their own devices while talking with her at length. It was a strangely harrowing experience hearing Kakashi talk about the effects and making recommendations which she realized had come from experience.

Stimulants, depressants, euphorics, and even emetics the man had thoughts on them all and it lead to nearly a week of lessons from the man as she slowly and carefully experimented herself. It had driven her ever deeper into the medical text section of the library, well past where she probably should have gone. However long ago she had fostered a good relationship with the archivists. learning ever more what to do and more importantly why. Her eyes were open, and she felt like a walking pharmacy striding with a new kind of confidence through the trees.

"Just a ways further." She said confidently, Sasuke was beside her. His eyes were on the woods around them with their early morning noises surrounding them. Naruto walked behind them with his hands behind his head humming a jaunty little tune. It was almost comfortable, just a little walk with his team, the calm before the storm. Sasuke let himself breath deep and loosen his tight muscles. He was excited, for all he refused to let it be seen outside. Naruto wore his excitement nakedly, his tune upbeat his steps bouncing. Sakura seemed calm but her pace was just slightly faster than her usual walking pace. She did a fine job of hiding it in focus on her task but it was there for her too. Sasuke allowed himself a small smirk. Through the back of his head he heard the humming stop.

"Neh, what's got the bastard in such a good mood?" Naruto asked lightly, Sasuke's smile evaporated then he let out a small snort.

"You can't pretend you're not excited, alley cat." He says and Naruto lets out a bright laugh.

"Nope! Not pretending not to be, ice cube!" he says with a big giggling grin, his eyes sharp like cerulean flint.

"If you're not excited I don't understand you." Sakura says smiling as she checks the carefully folded map. Ahead there is a break in the trees, just a slow parting to reveal something odd, a tiny ghost town, buildings side by side, many shapes and sizes but completely empty of people. Walking into the clearing it is quite large, though not lacking for green space.

"Hn." Sasuke comments his eyes roving slowly past the freshly painted walls and dirt roads.

"Hn." Naruto responds with a faint pop. Sasuke turns his head to look at the slippery menace to find himself looking at an exaggerated version of his own face. Sauske spends a moment looking at his face on Naruto's body. Staring back into his black eyes something slowly starts to smolder the deeper he looks and he breaks eye contact, turning his back on the fool who lets out a soft chuckle as the illusion vanishes in a soft flush of smoke.

"Where do you think we need to be?" Sasuke asks looking around. Naruto frowns and Sakura leaps up onto a rooftop from a stand with a tiny swirl of chakra to push her. Sasuke watches her go while Naruto looks around instead. Sakura cranes her neck looking around from the rooftop, then carefully walks down the side of the building.

"There's a building with a big banner that says 'Examination' so I think it's a pretty sure bet that's where we need to be." she says pointing while speaking softly. Naruto steps up and the three of them start off in close formation. Afterall, the warning of their sensei was still ringing in Sasuke's mind.

The building itself was like an office building, two floors, and extremely non-distinct. The three of them walked at a sedate pace, slowing down as they approached the building. The feeling pushed out from Naruto, his pace slowed just a bit, a tiny hesitation. It stood out starkly to Sasuke and Sakura, the familiarity of listening to someone walk around for weeks it's something one gets used to. As they walked to the front door of the building the windows were clean glass and a paper had been stuck to the door, it read "Examinees second door on left."

"Lazy." Sakura mutters, getting a giggle from Naruto and the slightest huff from Sasuke.

"Well, at least we found the right place!" Naruto opined too loudly. The other two shared a glance and a sigh, but Sasuke pulled open the door as Sakura stowed her orienteering gear and stepped inside. Inside the main hallway there was a Konoha ninja with a clipboard and a subtle frown, more bored than angry, he glanced up and his hand started moving down the page.

"Invitation?" He asks, writing on the paper before Sasuke even offered it up, three quick slashes and he juggled the pen into his hand holding the clipboard, placed the scroll on his clipboard and unfurled the first few inches with the seal of the Hokage's office on it, seeing the seal he rolled it back up and tossed it casually back to Sasuke who caught it without taking his eyes off of the older ninja. The three genin waited patiently as the man made a few more notes then looked up t them.

"What are you waiting for, did you miss the sign?" the ninja grumbled pointing with his pen over his shoulder up the hall. Naruto's face was flat, Sasuke managed to look offended, so it fell to Sakura to smile, nod and start walking. The other two looked like they wanted to start something, shared a glance and finally resolved to follow Sakura's lead. It would do them no good to start fighting with proctors before the exam got off the ground. Walking down the hallway the three of them walked past the first door and to the second, a featureless wooden door that looked roughly sanded.

Sakura reached out and pulled open the door to meet nearly forty pairs of baleful eyes. It is a rather sharp shock when something like that happens, not just misgiving but honest-to-gods killing intent radiating from the room Sakura almost closed the door again if Sasuke hadn't walked through the door, hands in his pocket, smooth as cold water. This gave Sakura the strength to soldier through, setting her face and weathering the psychic storm of displeasure. Naruto barely even registered, hoving over her shoulder but he seemed as unaffected as Sasuke.

She felt a tiny surge of jealousy at her teammates at that moment. How could they so easily brush off this skin crawling feeling? A moment's consideration provided an answer in Naruto's case. She'd been around him long enough to notice how he was commonly treated. He was vaccinated against hostility, it was even part of her pet theory about the bad vibe that followed the blonde child around like a cloak. Even now people subtly edged away more than a simple abundance of caution would permit as it put them closer to others who might be more of a threat. The room had a great many tables, and chairs though few were willing to sit in them. Scanning the room every great ninja village was represented by at least two people. The other genin stood in loose groups unlike the nearly shoulder to shoulder Team 7 was maintaining. Of them there were only four other groups that really looked like a team from their stance and standing. A group of older Konoha ninja, perhaps a few years their senior. Sakura recognized them in the way one might recognize someone who lives off the same bus stop. Team Gai, Naturally could not be missed. The three of them sitting against a wall, watching the room in their particular way.

Then to the foreigners, Sakura didn't recognize one of the groups having monopolized three chairs and put them back to back the one she could see had what looked to be a musical quarter note on his Hitai-ite, she didn't know of any nation that used that as their marker, they must have almost literally just arisen in the last year for their existence to not be that unknown. Yet here they were, at an invitation only event. The three of them were odd looking. A young woman with a cocky look to her face, assured. Her hair is long and straight and lustrous. Sakura feels a distant stab of envy as the girl sits with her hands in her lap in her armored clothing utterly still. The second wore sleeveless clothes with heavy wristbands, an usual decision but Sakura caught a glimpse of some bit of metal in the palm of his hand as he brushed at his hair and scratched his nose. The final member of the team was wrapped head to toe in furs and linens. One of his arms wearing a massive bracer with strange holes set in it. All together a very strange team even amongst the careful masks and respirators of Grass and Mist they stood out as unusual.

The others that stood out as a team were three who wore the Hitai-ite of Sunagakure, Allies, of a stripe. Konoha and Suna were allies in the loosest sense. Konoha was their nearest neighbor and genuinely the smallest of the so called 'great' villages. So small that the entire nation had fallen upon hard times when the Daimyo of the nation of Sands had lost a war and blamed the hidden village. Konoha had interceded providing supplies and logistical support in the internecine conflict. As a matter of honor they accepted an alliance of sorts though their pride was burned as a result. The team was three people, much like theirs. A statuesque blonde woman in a partial bodysuit and a linen wrap. With what looked for all the world like a giant fan. A wind nature without doubt, Sakura nodded to herself. Beside her were two shorter boys. One in Theatrical makeup with a fuzzy bundle on his back and fingers that would not stop twitching hither and tither, much like his eyes. The last though was the most striking. The shortest by far he sat on the ground staring at a space somewhere just past his knees. He seemed catatonic and the other two hovered but careful to maintain a few feet of distance at all times. Neither of his teammates so much as looked at him. He stared lamely his eyes half closed, deep dark bruise-like marks surrounding his eyes, his skin looked dingy and rough. His hair stuck up at strange angles and strapped to his back was a tremendous calabash gourd.

As Sakura tried to make heads or tails of the half asleep youth she was startled from her theory craftby a subtle, growing wrongness just over her shoulder. The eerie feeling that followed Naruto around was like a background noise. She had been around him so long she forgot about it. But when it suddenly intensified she noticed it all again. The feeling brought back a cold clammy feeling to her, like deep clinging mist and running water, like blood and haze. She could almost see Wave every time she blinked. That same intensity of appetite for blood. She couldn't make her head turn to look at Naruto for fear of drawing his attention. She was firmly rooted and certain others were too, looking around wildly or frozen stock still. Only one zeroed in. The boy with the gourd turned his head slowly like it resisted his every effort at movement and though she was not the one he was looking at she was shocked by the brilliant greenish gold that shone in the eyes of the boy. A deep smoldering darkness like sentient ink staring out from a well. She felt Naruto slide backward and the tension faded bit by bit as the red haired boy's head slowly ground back to looking at the ground but there was a new tightness, an awareness about him that had not been there before. As though he had awakened from his stupor in some small way.

Sakura finally made herself turn back only to see Naruto frowning just slightly, looking toward Sasuke who was looking back at him. They both spared her a glance before the attention returned to a blonde who made a slight shake of his head and looked down and away. Sasuke spoke in barely a whisper. "Soon, then." he said and Naruto looked to her before looking back at the ground. His mouth formed a thin line of deep consideration before nodding once "Soon." he agreed.

It was nearly fifteen minutes before something of interest happened. Six more people drifted in as ones and twos. Before the door opened and someone much older than anyone else in the room accompanied by two older ninja in sharp all black, each of them wearing a small badge that read 'Proctor' while carrying a box each.

"Good morning, applicants." The man said. Stoney silence reigned in the room. He was taller than many ninja and his face was deeply scarred. Worse though than any mark on his face was the way his eyes seemed to cut to the bone like the coldest winter squall, or the eyes of some apex predator. Sakura tried to shrug off the feeling as the man took several minutes to simply scan the crowd.

"I am Morino Ibiki, and I will be proctor of the first examination. Each of you possesses a scroll with an invitation to be here. You will trade that scroll for these." He said motioning to the side, where one of the proctors held up a manilla envelope.

"They have been randomized and you will be required to follow the instructions within. This first exam will last five days. You will have the rest of today to prepare. The examination begins at dawn tomorrow." Ibiki said. The man said and proceed to stand between the two proctors as each team walked up to take their envelope and retreat. It was a slow process. It gave Sakura a better lay of the arrayed forces.

There were a few teams of the three, but most of the groups were only a pair, three were even there alone, without any support seemingly. If she hadn't read about it it would be more shocking. Konoha was often derided for their seeming softness and 'weakness' of focusing on teamwork and interdependence rather than the skill of a single well-rounded operative. The apprentice system still in use in most of the world had borne out powerful fruit. Legends standing above the crowds such as the three Thunders of Kumo, or the Seven Swordsman of Mist. Konoha's Sanin being the exception. Or, they were.

Before too long Team 7 found themselves accepting their folders and retreating into the room. Naruto picked at the seal impatiently while Sasuke gave his little more than a cursory glance. Sakura held the folder to her chest thumb playing with the corner occasionally as she looked around at the rest of the room.

It felt like hours but really was only a few minutes later that the last of the folders had been distributed. Ibiki raised a hand.

"I see you all have wisely decided against opening the envelope in the presence of your competition. Allow me to explain this exercise. You have one hundred points right now each of you. There are three rules for this examination. Do not attack another team, this is strictly forbidden minus one hundred points. Leaving the testing area will result in immediate failure, stay within the outer markings of the testing village minus one hundred points for taking even one step outside. And finally, Failure to complete your mission objective will cost you half your remaining points. The passing grade is forty points. Your individual objectives will be in your envelope as well as further clarification. I will remain in this room as will my two assistants for two hours. If you have any pertinent questions, you may ask them at a cost of one point each. You are dismissed."

* * *

A/N: This chapter is the result of a lot of work on my part which I am not sure has been reflected in this end product. I Did not like the First Test of the chunin exams. It was too schoolyard for me, and with the characters all being portrayed as somewhat older I thought a more advanced test might be in order. Each of the characters is probably a little more versatile and quite a bit more ready to fight. This is where we truly diverge. Events will have little resemblance to the canon from here on.

As always I thank those of you who took the time to read my story, your attention is a gift I deeply appreciate. To those who take the time to review I want to thank you even more. I am trying to grow as an author and best way to do that is through criticism. So if you do not normally review but see something I could improve or something you really like or do not like to see please do tell or I will never know.

That said: thank you Zabzab for your continued input, I hope you continue to enjoy. The moment with Naruto in the mirror will come up again later, I hope.

To Phoenixx Rising, I hope it is.

To RedSoleil, Might Guy is a joke in the main series. He has such potential that is left entirely untapped. So I repositioned him and changed his form to match his soul more cleanly. He will show up again.

To Naru285: thank you for the compliment, I hope I continue to deliver to your satisfaction.

Thank you for your time.


End file.
